Interactive

Fit for summer? Virtual sunbathing

Thelma cautiously dabs her red face with a cooling cream. It’s a sunny morning, and it looks as it would become even hotter than yesterday – the day when the four of them caught sunburn because of this silly beach robber story. Thelma is annoyed and mumbles under her breath: "Why do I buy such expensive cream? And Paolo’s malicious grin… he may be red as well, but without having spent so much money for it…". Thelma thinks about what Paolo had said: "Sun protection factor 50?! Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?" "Bloody shit, what I look like – certainly everybody will say this is typical for an English girl…"

"Believe me, you can really get into problems if you believe what the advertisements say: sunbathing without remorse – you got to be kidding! Sunscreen is one thing, but who is as silly as I am and forgets that the sun is strongest around noon – oh my God! But it really is complicated – everybody has a different skin, and it depends where you are and when, and and and… But you don’t believe it before you tried it yourself – but below you can try this out without any danger, namely by means of a simulator… "

The simulator opens in a new window. Thus you can always switch between this page and the simulator. Access the simulator!

Are you an expert? Show your knowledge at the simulator! In the following tasks you can test how fit you are for the sun.

Task 1

Max caught a sunburn during the beach adventure. Probably he used
sunscreen with a too low SPF (sun protection factor) or he didn’t
repeat the usage of the sunscreen. Which minimum SPF should Max use to
be safe against sunburn during the adventure?

a) Find out the minimum SPF that Max should use in the preset simulation by changing the level of SPF.

b) As you can see, you can get a grip on sunburn. But how about other
effects of sunlight? Try out what happens if you don’t stay in the sun
so long…

c) Now you know which minimum SPF Max should use and how long he may
stay in the sun without problems. But what happens when Max goes
swimming during that time? Put the button “Swimming” on “Yes” and
change the environment from beach to water. Try to vary the SPF as well
as the time that Max stays in the sun. What happens?

d) Can you now explain why Thelma, in spite of using SPF 50, has sunburn at the end of the story?

Task 2

Click on “Reset Properties” in order to return to the default values. Enter the minimum SPF that you found out for Max.

a) Does the same minimum SPF apply for Max if he had had the adventure
while skiing in the Alps? Find out the new SPF by changing the buttons
“Season”, “Altitude” and “Environment”.

b) Max doesn’t like to go skiing in his bathing trunks. Change his clothes accordingly and then again adapt the SPF.

Task 3

You come to help the four friends during their beach adventure. In
the following, you should prepare yourself to avoid skin damages…

a) Find out your skin type. Check in the following table: (skin types ) and enter the value in the simulator.

b) Find out your ideal sun protection factor (SPF) to be able to stand
the given 180 minutes on the beach without getting sunburn.

c) Sunscreen is not a “cure-it-all”, as Natalya correctly discovers,
and is no guarantee for an absolute protection against UV radiation
damages.

How can you protect yourself in addition to using sunscreen?

For this purpose, reset the SPF back to 1, to make the effects of your
measures more visible. Try out different possibilities at the
simulator. Find out as well if weather and time of the day play a role
in this.

For the simulator you need the Flash Player. Download the Flash-Player here.

Everything clear? No? Then read some helpful hints and information here. This will make it easy for you. The Hints and Info section also open in a new window. Thus you will have everything within your view!
Press here for the Hints & Info section around sunlight and skin health!