What do you have in your first aid kit? You should have bandages, dressings, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, an instant cold compress, nonlatex gloves, scissors, gauze pads, tweezers, and much more. However, what you are probably missing, like many first aid kits, is sunscreen. Sunscreen protection is one of the most important things that should be considered everywhere you go, from the snowy Rocky Mountains to the beaches of Florida.
You may be asking yourself why sunscreen protection is so critical and why would you ever need sunscreen in your first aid kit. Well, just take a look at the facts:
- The risk of developing invasive melanoma, a type of skin cancer, is one in 63.
- One American dies of melanoma almost every hour.
- According to the American Cancer Society, there will be over 1 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the US.
- Sun damage is cumulative and it never completely heals.
Don’t put yourself or your loved ones at risk! Sunscreen protection is essential and you can easily protect your family by packing a broad spectrum sunscreen in every first aid kit you travel with. Besides sunscreen protection, you can also help protect from the dangers of the sun by covering up with a hat, sunglasses that block UV rays and limiting the amount of direct sunlight during midday. You can also pack important products like plenty of water and aloe vera when traveling to keep yourself hydrated or help heal damaged or burned skin.
So next time you are packing for that big trip or weekend getaway, make sure you have one of the most important items packed in your first aid kit, your sunscreen!
