Five summer health myths

Each season brings its own health hazards, and summer is no exception.
The sun, sea and travel all conspire to make your holiday a potential medical minefield.
Alas, there are some well worn myths that you may be following, so we've compiled a list to dispel them for your convenience and health.

Recirculated air on aeroplanes will give you a horrible disease

You are preparing for the holiday of a lifetime, and a friend warns you that the recirculated air in the plane spreads germs from hundreds of other passengers including tuberculosis, bird flu, SARS and such.
Should you cancel at once? Well, to be sensible, while you are more at risk of catching a cold or any other respiratory infection on a plane, this is not due to the recirculated air.
Studies have shown that the biggest threat to your health on an aeroplane are the coughing and spluttering passengers sitting near you, but that's also true of any kind of transport crammed with people in a confined space.
Usually, only 50 per cent of the cabin air is recirculated, and it has to pass through high-efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters which remove dust, bacteria, fungi and even viruses. Fresh air is drawn in through the engines, heated, compressed and cooled before arriving in the cabin.

Urine to treat jellyfish stings

Peeing on a jellyfish sting to lessen the pain was a popular belief even before it featured on an episode of Friends. However, according to the British Red Cross, fresh urine does not have the right chemical make-up to neutralise the effect of a jellyfish sting.
If stung by a jellyfish while swimming, get out of the water immediately, to avoid being stung again.
Once at the water's edge, slowly pour seawater over the sting to ease the pain. Vinegar works even better as it is acidic, and helps neutralise the sting. But who brings vinegar to the beach?

A tan prevents you from burning

Anyone can burn in the sun, even people with darker skins who tan easily.
In fact, a sun tan is a sign that the skin has been damaged, as it produces a pigment called melanin to protect itself against the harmful effects of the sun's UV rays.
A tan will only slightly protect you from burning, and not nearly as well as a SPF 15 sunscreen, which you are advised to wear.
Keep in mind that sunburn is a known risk factor for malignant melanoma, especially if it occurs in childhood.

Sunglasses with dark lens are best for protecting your eyes

The best sunglasses are those which give your eyes 100 per cent protection against the sun's UV rays.
If the lenses are dark, your pupils will dilate, letting in even more light and damaging UV rays - unless the lenses offer UV protection too.
UV radiation can increase the risk of cataracts, eye cancers, solar keratopathy (cloudiness of the cornea) and macular degeneration, the most common cause of sight loss in the UK.
So check the label before buying sunglasses. It should have either the CE Mark and British Standard (BS EN 1836:1997), a UV 400 label, or state that the glasses offer 100% UV protection.

You need to quickly squeeze out a bee sting

Scrape, don't squeeze! Bee stings come with a venomous sac attached. Attempting to squeeze out a sting with your fingers or a pair of tweezers may result in you introducing more venom into your body.
Instead, scrape the sting out using something with a hard flat edge, such as a credit card, then wash the area and apply a cold cloth to prevent swelling.
Bee stings can cause anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction.
Signs include swelling or itching anywhere else on the body immediately after being stung, wheezing, headache, feeling sick, a fast heart rate, feeling faint, difficulty swallowing, or a swollen face or mouth. If this happens, you need to call 999 for an ambulance immediately.