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A New Balanced, Science-Backed Guide to Tanning & Sun Exposure

This book was written to give a clear, science-based understanding of tanning and sun exposure, separating myth from measurable fact, so that you can enjoy sunshine intentionally, responsibly, and without becoming a dermatology slideshow.

A clear, science-backed guide to tanning and sun exposure separating myth from measurable fact, with practical advice and a touch of humor
CLICK / TAP on the book cover image to go to Chapter 1

There’s some lighthearted tone, friendly science talk, and occasional humor to keep things lively, but the science is legit. If any joke hits a nerve, please know none was meant to offend.

Proudly sponsored by Sola: UV Index and Sun Exposure, the sun-savvy iOS app that makes sun exposure management feel effortless.

Disclaimer

The human researched, checked, and re-checked the science but GenAI helped polish the wording and create illustrations (shoutout to ChatGPT and Nano Banana). There’s art for nearly every section, in case flipping through pictures is more your style.

Neither carbon-based nor silicon-based brains are perfect, so if you spot any errors, please write to:

support@getsola.com

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Remember sun protection in autumn

In late summer and autumn, when the sky is cloudy, many people neglect to protect their skin from the sun’s rays – a widespread misconception that not only has unpleasant consequences, but also significantly increases the risk of skin diseases.

Clouds act like an invisible veil that seems to block out the sun. In reality, however, clouds allow up to 80 percent of UV rays to pass through. So-called “light” clouds are particularly dangerous, as they can reflect and even intensify sunlight. The deceptive thing about a cloudy sky is that you perceive the sun as less intense and therefore underestimate the risk of sunburn. The result: you stay outdoors longer without adequate protection – and your skin pays the price.

To minimize the risk of sunburn even on cloudy days, experts recommend always applying sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF 30 or higher), especially if you are spending a long time outdoors. Sunscreen should be applied generously and reapplied regularly, especially after swimming or heavy sweating. Additional protective clothing such as sun hats, sunglasses, and light clothing are also advisable.

So anyone who thinks that sunscreen is unnecessary on a cloudy day should think again. Even in the shade or when the sky is slightly overcast, the danger is real and probably worse than you might think. The rule “better too much than too little” applies especially to sun protection. Your skin will thank you for it!

Be save with sunscreen and the Sola App

Clouds and Sun
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Sola got an ASO audit by ASO Ninja

Highly recommend the ASO Ninja team (https://asoninjapro.com). Their ASO audit was delivered quickly, with excellent attention to detail and actionable suggestions throughout. The team clearly understands both keyword strategy and user experience, and the recommendations were thoughtful, well-explained, and professionally presented. Great quality, fast turnaround, and a pleasure to work with.

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Ongoing issue with Apple Weather for some users

It seems there’s an ongoing issue affecting weather forecast retrieval for some users. An increasing number of developers have reported similar problems (cases: 789157,  789900,  789564, 789319, 786126, 788811 . I’ve already reported this to Apple and will share any updates here as they come. In the meantime, I’m working on a workaround. Apologies for the inconvenience to anyone affected.

UPDATE: Apple just reported that the issue should be resolved. Please reach out at support@getsola.com if you continue to see “clear-skies” UV forecast instead of from Apple Weather.

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Sola: Sun UV & Vitamin D Tracker: your personal companion for safe sun enjoyment

The Sola Sun UV & Vitamin D Tracker is an innovative app designed to help you spend time in the sun safely and mindfully. As awareness of the risks associated with UV radiation grows, Sola provides an intuitive solution to protect your skin from harmful rays while enjoying the sun responsibly.

Key Features of the Sola App

1. Real-Time UV Index

Sola provides the current UV index for your location, enabling you to monitor the strength of UV radiation in real time. With this information, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your skin.

2. Personalized Recommendations

Using your skin type data, Sola delivers tailored sun protection advice. Based on your skin type and planned sun exposure, the app suggests optimal times to apply sunscreen and how long you can stay in the sun safely.

3. Sunscreen Reminders

Stay protected throughout the day with customizable reminders to reapply sunscreen at regular intervals. Never miss a reapplication and maintain consistent sun protection.

4. UV Tracker for Outdoor Activities

Track your outdoor exposure with Sola’s UV tracker. It logs sunlight exposure during activities such as walking, sports, or excursions, providing a comprehensive view of your UV intake over time.

5. Skin Health Insights

Sola helps you cultivate healthy sun habits by raising awareness about overexposure. Monitor your sun behavior and receive alerts to avoid excessive UV exposure, keeping your skin’s health a priority.

Why Choose Sola?

Sola seamlessly integrates technical precision with user-friendly features, offering a holistic approach to UV protection. Whether you’re relaxing on the beach or enjoying outdoor activities, Sola empowers you to enjoy the sun while minimizing risks. Strike the perfect balance between sun enjoyment and skin protection with Sola.

Intelligent Sun Protection at Your Fingertips
Discover the power of proactive skin care with the Sola Sun Protection and UV Tracker.

Protect smartly. Enjoy safely. 🌞

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Sola – Sun UV & Vitamin D Timer

Sunlight enhances your mood, relieves stress, improves sleep, and triggers vitamin D production. But too much sun exposure increases your chances of sunburns and skin cancer.

Sola calculates and tracks how much sun exposure you are getting based on current UV index forecast, your skin type, any existing tan, sunscreen SPF, and more.

Sola features a convenient Timer that reminds you when to re-apply sunscreen, when you need to get out of the sun, etc.

It also comes with an Apple Watch extension so that you can manage your UV exposure right on your wrist.

Sola optionally integrates with Apple Health app, specifically to read your Fitzpatrick Skin Type and to keep track of UV index that you were exposed to.

Also included now is Vitamin D tracking.

Lastly, thanks to its monochrome themes, you can actually interact with the app in bright sunlight, especially if you are wearing sunglasses.

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First FREE week issues

There was an issue with annual subscriptions not offering a first week free. That is now fixed. Apologies for users who were charged right away – if you were, feel free to reach out to me and we can sort it out.

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New updates to Sola

It has been a long while since the last update – sorry for the long silence. I have added Widgets so that users can now get timely information from Sola at a glance on their Home Screen, Lock Screen, or Today View.

I have also added the Italian version. The Portuguese is in the works and should become available soon.

In addition, the Apple Watch experience has been improved as well, with the new UV index chart and the addition of Vitamin D information, to mirror the iPhone app.

Finally, after a long pause, I am re-starting the development of the Android version of the app. So stay tuned 🙂