Healthy, safe spring break trips easy if you pack right

Starting to pack for your spring break adventure?

By keeping the six "S"s in mind, you can be sure to have a safer and healthier break:

First, remember sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. This will block you from UVB rays — the ones that cause sunburn.

Blocking agents include cinnamates (oxtyl methoxycinnamate and cinoxate). Other B-blocking ingredients are Padimate and PABA, but PABA can stain clothing yellow and causes irritation for some people.

Second, pack some shades. Look for sunglasses that absorb 99 percent to 100 percent of the full ultra violet spectrum, both UVA and UVB rays. Read labels carefully and beware of sunglasses that "block harmful UV" without saying how much.

Sexual health protection should be another item in your suitcase. If you plan to hook up, or even if you don't, plan ahead. Latex condoms and spermicides can prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. A good quality condom has a failure rate of only 2 percent when used as directed. Typically, its failure rate is about 12 percent.

A condom used in conjunction with spermicidal foam, cream, or jelly provides close to 100 percent protection against pregnancy. Remember that the best contraception is the method that works best for you and your partner. The important thing, obviously, is consistency.

A fourth necessity for a safe spring break trip is spending money. Plan how much money you can comfortably spend and stick to it during your trip. Consider using traveler's checks and a limited amount of cash in place of a credit card. Don't let the credit card in your pocket give you a false sense of wealth.

Sound too obvious? Think about this example. You go to a happy hour with your friends. Being a generous person, you offer to pick up the tab for the group. This means three pizzas at $9 each and five pitchers of Sam Adams at $10.25 each. Tax is $6.75.

Your waitress was great, give her $15.00. A $100 night out. Not bad, right?

Do that twice during your break plus other expenses, and you've run up a balance of $300.

Now if your interest rate is 19 percent and you make your card's minimum payment, let's say $9 per month, it will take you four years to pay it off.

On top of the $300, you will pay $131 in interest. That's 43 percent of your original charges!

Don't forget social support -- friends. Watch out for each other. Let roommates, friends or partners know where you will be, when to expect you or if you are going to be late.

If a friend drinks too much and is unresponsive, call an ambulance. Avoid walking and exercising alone; stay in groups.

Don't let intoxicated friends go off with "new acquaintances."

Know how you are getting home from a social event.

Finally, keep in mind your safety. Remember that alcohol and other drugs can interfere with your ability to communicate effectively and deal with potentially dangerous situations.

Seventy-five percent of reported Penn State sexual assaults involved alcohol.

More trip survival tips are available in the form of Spring Break Kits.

Stop by the HUB this week to pick up a free survival kit, courtesy of HealthWorks, the peer education program of University Health Services.

Have a great break!

Healthline Questions and Answers

FDA hasn’t fully tested polyurethane condoms; use latex as first choice

Question: What’s the scoop on “don’t drink the water” when on spring break trips?

Answer: Contaminated drinking water from a local source can cause vomiting and diarrhea, really taking the fun out of a vacation.

If it is recommended that you not drink the water, don’t drink tap water served in open cups or use ice unless you know it is made from purified water. Don’t brush your teeth using tap water or open your mouth in the shower.

But do drink water! You can drink bottled water or boiled water.

Why is water so important? Water makes up about 70 percent of your body tissues. Alcohol and caffeinated beverages are diuretics that suck the water right out of you.

You will have to double up on your water consumption to beat these water robbers.

Question: Are polyurethane condoms as effective as latex ones? I bought a box of them and it says that if you are not allergic to latex, then use latex condoms. Why is this?

Answer: While polyurethane condoms are believed to be as effective as latex in preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), they still need to undergo full testing and review by the FDA.

Until they are FDA-approved, they’re recommended as a first line of defense for people with latex allergies. People without allergies should use them only as a back-up method for everyone else.

The manufacturer probably chose that verbiage as their way of disclosing their lack of full FDA approval.