Picture it: a blazing hot day at the beach, and you forgot the sunscreen but remembered the big beach umbrella. Most people would assume as long as they stay in the shade of the umbrella, they will be safe and won’t get a sunburn. Can you really still get a sunburn even while you’re sitting in the shade?
Yes, you can get a sunburn while sitting in the shade. Harmful UV rays indirectly reflect off surfaces onto your skin, causing a sunburn and damaging your skin. In fact, the shade from an umbrella is less effective than a sunscreen with high SPF. You should always use sunscreen and other protection from the sun on a hot day, even if you stay in the shade.
So even though you might think on a bright and sunny day that you don’t need sunscreen and you will still have it made in the shade, that’s not the case. You need more protection from the sun than just sitting in the shade if you want to keep from burning and damaging your skin. The rest of this article will explain why exactly you can still burn, how long it takes, how to treat a sunburn, and why sunscreen is more effective than just shade.
Table of Contents
But How Can You Sunburn if You’re in the Shade?
Obviously, it’s impossible to avoid the sun totally. Anytime you are under the sun, you’re being exposed to its ultraviolet (UV) rays. There are three types: UVA rays, which cause the least amount of damage, UVB rays, which cause the most damage, and UVC rays, which are totally absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and don’t reach the ground. Even though you aren’t getting exposed directly to UV rays while you’re sitting in the shade, you are still getting indirectly exposed due to the rays bouncing around and reflecting off surfaces onto your skin. This indirect exposure can cause a sunburn and damage to your skin.
In fact, even while you’re under an umbrella, the UV rays can still penetrate through the holes in the fabric and cause damage to your skin. Also, they are constantly being reflected off all different types of surfaces: sand, pavement, water, snow, even the grass! Snow reflects the most rays, up to 80%, sand reflects 15%, and grass, dirt and water reflect about 10%. You won’t feel the UV rays being absorbed, but as long as you have uncovered skin, you are at risk of getting a sunburn if you are in the shade with no sunscreen.
Let’s say you are under an umbrella with fabric that totally blocks 100% of the sun’s UV rays, and you manage to stay out of direct sunlight the whole time you are outdoors. You would still only manage to cut your absorption of UV rays by half. That equates to wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 2! If you are on the beach, you would absorb even more UV rays due to the sand reflecting them more strongly than grass would, for instance. As you can see, shade is not effective at shielding you from the sun’s harmful rays or from getting a sunburn.
How Much UV am I Being Exposed to in the Shade?
If you are curious to know how much UV you are being exposed to even while you are in the shade, there is an easy trick to help you determine the relative level of rays being absorbed by your skin. Take a look around at the amount of open sky you can see and what type of shade you are under. Is it an umbrella or shade awning, or are you in the city and being shaded by buildings? If you are being shaded by a building and not standing in open sunlight, and you can see about half of the open sky, then you are probably receiving about half of the amount of indirect UV rays. That’s still enough to damage your skin and cause a sunburn!
What Type of Factors Affects UV Ray Exposure?
- The time of year: The sun’s rays and UV exposure is stronger during the spring and summer season.
- The time of day: UV rays are strongest during midday, between 10 am to 2 pm.
- Latitude and altitude: UV rays are strongest closest to the equator and at higher elevations.
- UV reflection: Your level of exposure is affected by how many UV rays are bouncing around and reflecting off surfaces like snow, sand, pavement, etc.
- Cloud cover: It’s a common myth that clouds will prevent sunburns, this isn’t totally true, however they do help diffuse the rays some before they reach the ground.
Which Type of Shade Protects the Best?
There are several factors that go into which type of shade offers the best protection. The size and type of shade determine how much protection it offers, as well as how dense the material is (i.e. fabric compared to concrete or tree leaves) and how close the shade is in proximity to other shaded areas. For instance, a forest of trees will offer better protection than a single tree in a field, right? However, urban environments usually offer much better protection, because unlike fabric or the leaves from a tree, the UV rays cannot penetrate through the walls of buildings.
Shade vs. Sunscreen–What’s the Difference?
Anyone who has come back sunburned from a day at the beach spent under their umbrella can tell you that just using shade as sun protection is ineffective, but what’s the difference between shade and sunscreen? How much more protection does sunscreen really offer?
According to a study done by Dr. Hao Ou-Yang, PhD, of the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., sunscreen is far more effective than just using shade from an umbrella, but neither of them alone is totally sufficient to stop sun damage from occurring. The study found that after 3 ½ hours of sun exposure, 78% of participants who only had shade from an umbrella developed a sunburn, compared to just 25% burned of those who used an SPF 100 sunscreen. No contest–sunscreen is the way to go!
How Long Does it Take to Burn in the Shade?
While there’s no exact formula for how long it takes to burn in the shade, if it’s midday and the sun is very strong, unprotected skin can burn in as little as ten minutes even if you are in the shade! If you want some help judging how much sun protection you need, referencing the UV Index Scale is a good way to go. The UV Index shows the level of UV rays, how harmful they are, and what precautions to take when going outside. In fact, you can go to the Environmental Protection Agency’s webpage here to install a widget where you put in your zipcode to see what the UV Index level is in your area. Totally useful, especially when planning a day at the beach!
| UV Index Number | Exposure level | Time to burn | Actions to take |
| 0-2 | Low | 60 Minutes | 30 SPF, sunglasses if it’s especially bright |
| 3-5 | Moderate | 45 Minutes | 30 SPF every 2 hours, wear a hat and sunglasses |
| 6-7 | High | 30 Minutes | 50+ SPF every 2 hours, wear a hat, glasses & long sleeves. Seek shade midday when the sun is strongest. |
| 8-10 | Very High | 15-25 Minutes | Sames as High, and limit your time outdoors |
| 11 | Extreme | 10 Minutes | 75+ SPF, wear heat, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants, limit time outdoors, especially midday |
Using the UV Index Scale is a great way to help you judge how much protection to use when you are going to be outdoors and in the sun. Following it and taking the necessary precautions can help you avoid sunburn or even more skin damage, such as skin cancer, which can develop after UV damage builds up over time.
How to Protect Yourself From a Sunburn, Even in the Shade
This is pretty much self-explanatory: wear sunscreen with a high SPF! However, there are 5 easy to remember ‘S words’ to help you stay safe, even if you are going to be under an umbrella or in a sun tent, or if you’re walking through the city on a hot summer day:
- Slip: Slip on clothes, especially long-sleeved shirts and long pants with a tightly weaved fabric. This helps prevent some of the harmful UV rays from reaching your skin.
- Slop: Slop on plenty of sunscreen with a high SPF! Reapply every two hours, especially if you are sweating a lot or have been swimming. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to the tops of your ears, your feet, the back of your neck, and wear lip balm with SPF protection as well. Your lips can become burned the same way as your skin!
- Slap: Slap on a wide-brimmed sun hat. Wearing a sun hat with a brim of at least three inches helps protect the top of your head, face, and neck from the sun.
- Seek: Seek shade, especially during the midday from 10 am to 2 pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Even though you can still burn in the shade, it’s still better than being in direct sunlight and having no protection at all.
- Slide: Lastly, slide on a pair of sunglasses, preferably ones that are polarized to reduce glare and have complete UV protection. UV rays are just as damaging to your eyes as they are your skin!
If you remember those 5 S’s, you should have no trouble preventing a sunburn!
How to Treat a Sunburn
If you do go out in the shade thinking you are fully protected and end up with a sunburn, there are a few steps you can take generic ambien to mitigate the damage and heal faster. The damage from UV rays and the sun build up over time, leading to premature aging and other skin problems. It can also damage the DNA in your skin cells and eventually can lead to malignant melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. However, if you do get a burn, the American Academy of Dermatology has some steps you can take to help relieve the pain and ultimately heal quicker:
- Take a shower or bath with cool water. Then, instead of rubbing, gently pat yourself dry, leaving a small amount of water on your skin. Immediately moisturize, using the lotion to trap the moisture back into your skin and keep it hydrated.
- Moisture with a lotion that contains aloe vera! Aloe vera gel comes from the aloe plant, and contains soothing and cooling properties. If you still have some uncomfortable spots, use hydrocortisone cream to help relieve itching. Don’t use ‘caine’ products, such as lidocaine or benzocaine, as they can potentially cause an allergic reaction.
- Drink water to keep yourself hydrated, a sunburn causes your body’s fluids to go towards the surface of your skin, and could possibly dehydrate you in the process.
- Take an aspirin or ibuprofen to help with any redness, swelling, or discomfort.
- If blisters form on your sunburn, allow them to heal and do not pop them! A sunburn with blisters means two things: you have a second degree burn, and your skin is attempting to heal and prevent infection at the same time.
- Wear loose fitting, protective clothing that won’t irritate a healing burn, and avoid going out into direct sunlight and further irritating a healing sunburn.
If you do get burned, either in the sun or the shade, if you follow those steps your burn should heal in no time! Obviously, if you have extreme pain, or you think you have sun poisoning, you should immediately seek medical attention.
How Do I Know Which Sun Protection Products to Use?
Okay, so you know that you need sunscreen, a wide-brim sun hat, sunglasses with UV protection, and long sleeved clothes to protect yourself from the sun, even when you’re going to be in the shade and have a modicum of protection. There’s so many options–how can you know which one is the best choice?
Sunscreen
Obviously, a sunscreen with a high SPF is ideal. However, some experts say that sometimes using an SPF of 100+ can lull you into a false sense of security. People think that they only have to apply high SPF sunscreen once, or that they can stay in the sun or shade longer because the SPF is higher. That isn’t true! Also, when purchasing sunscreen, make sure it has complete UVA and UVB protection, not just one or the other.
Amazon recommends Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 100+, which is one of their best sellers. It’s dry touch, water resistant, non-greasy, and has a broad spectrum SPF, which protects from both UVA and UVB rays. It’s a lightweight formula and won’t leave a heavy film on your skin. Also, it’s non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog your pores, or cause breakouts.
Once you have the sunscreen though, you have to apply it correctly! If you have any questions or concerns on how to apply sunblock properly, Health & Glow has a quick tutorial on YouTube that explains it very well. It has correct instructions on where to apply, how to apply and how often to reapply! (Every two hours!)
Wide-Brimmed Sun Hat
As stated earlier, you ideally want to have a wide-brimmed sun hat that has at least a three inch brim to help protect your head, face and neck from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Amazon has plenty of cute options for both sexes! This one for women, made by Furtalk, is cute, inexpensive, has a 4-inch brim and also a drawstring rope inside for a customizable fit. Maybe right now you’re thinking, “A big floppy beach hat? Not my style, thank you very much!” However, having a peeling sunburn on your face or even skin cancer is worse than having the fashion police called on you for wearing a big floppy hat or having to untag yourself from a less than flattering beach photo on Facebook or Instagram!
Sunglasses
The best sunglasses to get for protecting your eyes from the sun need to be polarized to reduce glare, and have complete 100% protection from UV rays. Obviously, sunglasses run the gamut in terms of pricing. Certainly, people love to show off their designer shades! You should always check to make sure they have the proper eye protection, though and don’t buy them just because they’re a brand name. For a higher budget, here’s a pair of unisex Oakley mirror lens sunglasses for sale on Amazon, which are polarized and offer complete UV protection. They also have really cool violet/green mirror lenses for the fashion-conscious who need something a little flashier!
However, if you have champagne taste but a lemonade budget and can’t afford designer sunglasses, Amazon also has these DUBERY brand unisex mirror-lens glasses for a quarter of the price, and they look just as good! They also offer complete UVA/UVB protection and are polarized as well. So there are plenty of options for every budget and style under the sun without having to sacrifice on superb eye protection!
Final Thoughts
Picture that blazing hot day at the beach again: now you’ve got a big umbrella and a wide-brim sun hat, UV protective sunglasses, and SPF 50+ sunscreen, applied correctly, of course. Now, even if you do spend the day in the shade, (or the sun!) you won’t burn due to all those UV rays bouncing around and reflecting, being absorbed into your skin and causing damage. Just being in the shade is not enough to keep you from getting a sunburn, especially if you aren’t wearing any sunscreen. Even if you might look a little silly wearing long sleeves and a big hat on a scorching summer day, your skin will thank you for protecting it!
