How To Properly Use a Sunscreen To Avoid Sunburn

It's simple right? Use a sunscreen, and you won't get sunburn. Wrong. Every year, throngs of beach goers head out with their SPF 15, 30 or 45 in tow, but still manage to get burned.

The problem isn't with the sunscreen, but how people apply it. Most people don't apply enough, or they don't apply it frequently enough to be effective. A major problem, according to researchers, is failure to apply more sunscreen after swimming. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends reapplying sunscreen immediately after swimming or every two hours if you stay out of water. In fact, the academy says that people who wait more than two and a half hours to reapply have five times the chance of getting sunburned as those who reapply every two hours.

The AAD also advises people to use about a shot glass full of sunscreen for adequate coverage of exposed areas of the body and to apply sunscreen about 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors.

Hazards of Oral Piercing

Contrary to popular belief, body piercing is not a fad set by hard core rock stars. Tongue piercing, for instance, was a ritual from the Aztec and Mayan tribes of Central America.

The ritual is done to appease the gods by drawing blood from the tongue and waiting for the priest (shaman) to arrive at an altered state of consciousness. Nowadays, demigods come in the form of high paid singers, basketball players or actors. Fans get 'hooked' on the image of their idols riveted tongues and stapled eyebrows.

The barbaric nature of such procedures is not without hazards. Here are some of the hazards you might encounter:

INFECTION - The mouth is an abyss of bacteria. An open wound in the tongue cultivates bacteria and invites infection.

PROLONGED BLEEDING - Damage to the blood vessels can cause serous blood loss.

SWELLING AND POSSIBLE NERVE DAMAGE - Healing takes longer since the tongue is in constant motion. Reported cases show extreme swelling that blocked the airway.