Summer is here. Are you covered?

With longer days and warmer weather, we will all be spending more time outdoors and in the sun. It is time to start thinking about sunscreen and protecting your skin.

We all need some sun exposure; it's our primary source of vitamin D, which helps us absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. But it doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin D they need, and unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, and even cancer.

Here are some tips to protect your skin:
  • Use a sunscreen every day, even if you work in an office.
  • Your sunscreen should be at least an SPF 15.
  • When choosing sunscreen, be sure to pick one that will protect you from UVA and UVB (ultraviolet) rays. UVA rays are thought to increase the risk of skin cancer.
  • Remember to reapply after four hours if you are in the sun.
  • Wear a hat to protect your ears, nose and face.
  • Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
  • Covering up with fabric is the best choice by far for areas of the body where this is possible.
SPF versus UPF
Both SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) are standards used to measure effective sun protection.

SPF is the standard used to measure the effectiveness of lotions or other liquid sunscreens. SPF is a gauge of how much time a person can be exposed to the sun before getting burned. If you are fair skinned and burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen, and you apply a liberal dose of sunscreen with a SPF number of 15, you should be protected for 150 minutes.

UPF was created specially for sun protective fabrics. When searching for sun protection apparel, look for the “UPF” rating (UPF 50+ is best). A fabric with this rating only allows 1/50th of the sun's UV radiation to pass through it. This means that the fabric will reduce your skin's UV radiation exposure by 50 times (98% UV block) in areas where the skin is protected by the fabric.

New providers participating in Blue Advantage
What is Blue Advantage?

The Blue Advantage program allows Blue Cross members to save on medical, vision care and many other products and services offered by participating providers across Canada. The program is unique because it provides discounts at point of sale on the total cost of products and services from participating providers across Canada, regardless of whether the item is covered under your benefit plan. Simply present your Blue Cross identification card to the participating provider and mention the Blue Advantage program. Blue Advantage is just one more way Blue Cross is working in your community to offer members access to affordable, quality services and products that can help them make healthy lifestyle choices.

We encourage you to visit blueadvantage.ca regularly to learn where you might find health care savings that are available in your area.

Don't keep it a secret!

You've read about it… you may already be benefitting from it. You know Blue Advantage can help you save money. That's why you've signed up for this newsletter. So spread the word to others you know with Blue Cross coverage. We’re always adding new vendors to offer Canadians new opportunities to save!

A complete list of participating providers can be found at www.blueadvantage.ca