Atlantic General gives tips on hydration and skin protection during Summer

Summer Health Tips

DELMARVA – The first day of summer starts tomorrow and the heat wave is already here.

Many things can be of concern, but there are two major issues Dr. Sally Dowling, Vice President of Medical Affairs of Atlantic General Hospital. Hydration and skin care habits can result in serious medical emergencies if not properly taken care of.

Dr. Dowling says that heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two different things, but can both have serious effects on one’s health including death. Heat exhaustion symptoms can range from excessive sweating, headaches, nausea, and weakness. But Heat stroke is deadly. “The typical adult really should have 6-8 glasses, being 8 ounce glasses of water or its equivalent every day… People who suffer from heat stroke actually stop sweating, and most of the symptoms are neurological. They become confused. they can become combative, not themselves behaving abnormally. And that is a medical emergency.” She also added that eating fruits with a lot of water content can help with hydration and to stay away from caffeine products because they can dehydrate your system.

Dr. Dowling says that skin care is important for all people of all skin types and that the most common mistake is not reapplying sun lotion once getting out of the water. “Sun exposure definitely increases our risk for skin cancers down the line, the most concerning of which is malignant melanoma, but there are 2 other types of skin cancers. squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma… The most important part that people are not diligent about is re-applying. Any time you’ve been in the water even if it is a “waterproof” sunblock, afterwards you should re-apply.” These cancers can be avoided by protecting your skin with an SPF of 30 or more and apply it to all the places that is exposed to the sun.