Summer Myths You Shouldn’t Believe

Don’t believe everything you hear when you come to Hawaii – especially those dealing with the outdoor elements and the beach. Here are some summer myths I came across, starting with sunburns, eek!

You can’t get sunburned on a cloudy day

Overcast and cloudy days are the worst when it comes to sunburns because of how deceiving they are to our skin. People get fooled into thinking that since the sun’s barely out, there’s no need to wear sunscreen. Think again. The UV rays still penetrate the clouds and therefore, our skin.

Butter eases sunburn pain

OK, wait. I actually have never heard this myth in Hawaii, but apparently it’s a myth, and I can see why. According to an article by MSN, putting butter on burnt skin is like putting oil on a fire!!! Don’t do it!! Use cool compresses from skim milk half diluted with ice and water.

A ‘base tan’ will help prevent sunburn

Base tan? That’s probably one of the funnier myths because there is no such thing as a base tan. Some people, including some of my friends, think that if they “pre-tan” beforehand, they’ll keep from getting burnt during their “real tan.” Not true; just wear sunscreen, and you won’t get sunburn. Simple, right?

Peeing on a jellyfish/man-o-war sting gets rid of the pain

I think there was an episode of Friends, where someone pees on Monica’s foot to help stop the pain of a jellyfish sting. Heck, I’ve tried to pee on my own sting once as a kid, too, LOL. But, like Monica and I soon found out, it did NOTHING to stop the pain. Use salt water or diluted vinegar instead.

Posted by: Bruce Fisher