Table of contents:
- Myth 1: Wet bikinis lead to cystitis
- Myth 2: Waterproof sunscreen also protects after bathing
- Myth 3: Pre-tanned skin needs less sun protection
- Myth 4: Warm drinks help against heat
- Myth 5: You don't get sunburned in the shade
You get cold in a wet bikini and you don't get sunburn in the shade - there are numerous myths that accompany us every year through the summer. We clarify.
The sun is beating, the air is standing and even in the shade you can still feel the heat. On really hot days, only an ice-cold lemonade and a dip in the cool water will help. But how long does waterproof sunscreen actually last? And do you really have to change your wet bikini right away? The most common summer myths and their explanation at a glance:
Myth 1: Wet bikinis lead to cystitis
Yes and no! Even if the wet bikini or swimsuit feels pleasantly cooling on the skin on a hot summer day - it can actually promote cystitis. This is not due to the myth that it makes us cold more easily, but to bacteria.
In a damp and cold climate, these can spread particularly easily in the bladder, as the blood flow is inhibited. Therefore: If it's not so hot outside that your bathing suits dry quickly, it's better to slip into another bathing outfit. By the way: This is how you care for your bikinis so that they last longer.
Myth 2: Waterproof sunscreen also protects after bathing
Many sun creams adorn themselves with the label "waterproof". But do they really keep what is promised on the packaging? According to Stiftung Warentest, caution is advised: A product can be described as "waterproof" if half of the protection is still present after two 20-minute stays in the water. Also means: If you put on SPF 30, there isn't really much left in the end, namely only SPF 15 according to this calculation.
In addition, the sun protection is also impaired by sweating. Conclusion: Regardless of whether it is supposedly waterproof or not - you should always re-apply generously after bathing. What many also do not know: Freshly applied sunscreen does not work immediately. The protection only starts after about 30 minutes.
Myth 3: Pre-tanned skin needs less sun protection
A misconception that is particularly persistent: the skin must first get used to the sun's rays. You can also get pre-tanned without sunscreen. Unfortunately, we're making it a little too easy for ourselves. Because the fact is true that UVA and UVB rays cause the skin to build up self-protection by building up melanin, i.e. being tanned.
"The pigmentation absorbs further UV rays and thus prevents the radiation from penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin," says an article by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection. This protection, however, is rather low: For people with lighter skin type (the most common in Europe) it is comparable to an SPF of strength 1.5 - i.e. virtually nonexistent, analyzes the WDR's online magazine quarks. You can find out what else to look out for here.
Myth 4: Warm drinks help against heat
This myth is hard to believe, as an ice-cold drink feels like the right thing on a hot summer's day. If our body has its way, we should actually not do that in the future! Because drinks that are too cold also reduce body temperature - which means that we produce heat again to keep it stable. In addition, we drink ice-cold drinks more slowly, which tends to lead to less fluid intake.
Don't worry: you won't have to sip your summer drinks warm in the future either. Room temperature is the golden mean that quenches and refreshes thirst without increasing energy consumption on hot days.
By the way, the Nutrition Forum recommends that adults drink 1.5 to two liters of water a day in summer. With physical exertion and sport, it can even be three to four liters, as the requirement is increased by sweating.
Myth 5: You don't get sunburned in the shade
Unfortunately, this is usually actually a myth (unless you are in the shadow of a concrete wall). Because under parasols or trees we are still exposed to 50 percent of the usual UV radiation. One reason for this is the ambient radiation. According to studies, this also ensures that the solar radiation on the ground can even be much stronger under a partially cloudy sky than under a cloudless, blue sky.
The reason: bright clouds scatter more light when the sun shines through between them. If we underestimate the sun's radiation when the sky is cloudy, sunburn is practically inevitable.
