Patio Shades

In Arizona, it’s easy to see how we are pretty blessed when it comes to weather. Degrees in the 70s in December, and bright blue skies without a cloud in sight are not only common, but anything else is an anomaly. Although we don’t need to worry about tornados or blizzards, our weather does bring its own degree of danger. As we enter into those famous Arizona summer months, now is the time to start talking about our weather issue: the sun.

With an average of 130 days of sunshine per year, us Arizonians definitely get our fair share of vitamin D. But the sun doesn’t only bring nice tans and pool days with the family, it also brings dangerous UVA and UVB rays that can be extremely damaging to your health. CC Sunscreens provides multiple choices from a sliding sliding patio screen door to custom sunscreen shades for patio which will not only provide a fun entertainment space and protect your patio furniture from fading, but could also play a role in protecting your family as well.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Melanoma (skin cancer) is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed amongst adolescents and teens, and this problem is growing. It is predicted that 1 in 58 children who were born in 2009 will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime. That is nearly 25 times the rate of skin cancer amongst people who were born in 1935. Based on CDC data, incidences of skin cancer have risen about 1-2% per year since 2002.

According to data collected by The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Arizona has the highest rate of all skin cancers (melanoma and non-melanoma) amongst any other state in the US. Skin cancer isn’t the only damaging effect the sun takes on our bodies. According to WebMD, most of the age spots and wrinkles we see on our skin and faces are due to sun exposure. Prolonged and excess sun exposure actually accelerates the natural aging process. Although these truths are scary ones, you don’t need to lock yourself inside or move to Seattle. You can still enjoy our beautiful weather while keeping yourself and your family safe from the sun’s harmful rays.

Multiple sources agree that there are three main ways to protect yourself from harmful rays. The first two are wearing sunscreen and protective clothing such as hats and long sleeves. The third way recommended by skincancer.org, the CDC and WebMD? You guessed it. Seeking shade.

Shade is considered to be a great part of an overall sun protection plan. Our Arizona palm trees aren’t known for the shade they provide, thus outdoor patio shades are a great way to create that reprieve right in your own backyard. Staying in the shade is amongst the best way to protect yourself from UV rays, but should be used in conjunction with other sun protection methods, especially if you are sitting next to a reflective surface such as a pool or white patio furniture. UV rays can bounce off these surfaces and reflect back onto you.

Although our sunshades do block some UV rays, they are not completely solid, and are therefore recommended to be used with more than one sun protection method. At CC Sunscreens, we offer crank and motorized solar shades for patio shade options. Our motorized solar screens can also come with sun sensors, which automatically roll themselves up or down based on the level of sun exposure. Contact CC Sunscreens today for your free estimate or for any other information you may need about our patio shade options.