Avoid These Summer Health Scares
By Sara Butler
Summer has a way of making you feel carefree. It may be due to the short sleeves and shorts or the days spent outside enjoying the sunshine, but summer makes you feel as if there’s nothing in the world you need to worry about on a perfect day. The problem is that letting down your guard can be a problem. There are seasonal threats in the summer just as there is any other time of the year. Here is some information to help you avoid these summer health scares.
Phytophotodermatitis
If you’re having a backyard barbecue with some freshly squeezed lemonade, you may want to limit the lemon squeezing to the shade. Citrus juice on the skin can lead to a chemical burn knowns as phytophotodermatitis. When the juice on your skin is exposed to the rays of the sun, then it can cause a reaction that looks a lot like a sunburn. You can even develop blisters on the skin. If you’re handling plants and vegetables such as figs, citrus fruits, celery, and carrots, then make sure to wash your hands (and anyplace else juice may have gotten) with soap and water before returning outside.
Perfume Sunburn
Some colognes and perfumes have a substance in them that can cause you to be sensitive to the rays the sun. If you have them on your skin and go outside in direct sunlight, it can make your skin overly sensitive. That means you can burn and not even realize you’re in danger of burning!
Ingredients you should be sure to avoid in your body spritzes include:
- Retinoids
- Coumarins
- Musk
- Lavender
- Sandalwood
- Bergamot
- Benzophenones
Essential Oil Burns
Colognes and perfumes aren’t the only things you need to be on the lookout for to avoid a bad burn. Some essential oils can cause your skin to become photosensitive too, leading to a nasty burn when exposed to the sun. If you like to dab a little on before yoga or you use them in your home, make sure to take precautions.
Ticks
The mild winters in many parts of the country have created a great environment for ticks, so make sure to take precautions to keep them off of you. They carry diseases such as Lyme disease and also a lesser known illness called Powassan, which kills 10 percent of people infected with it, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Keep ticks off of you by avoiding bushy and heavily wooded areas, using bug repellent with DEET, and wearing clothing that protects your skin.
Summer isn't over yet, so take care of yourself and stay safe!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Fontana, Calif.