After surveying popular beaches in Hawaii, researchers from the University of Hawaii found that bacteria love the beach just as much as humans do. Turns out, the sand contained high levels of nasty bugs like E. coli.

The researchers discovered that warm, moist sand provides the ideal breeding ground for bacteria brought in by waste water run-off, sewage, or garbage dumped on the beach. “Beach sand needs to be considered carefully in assessing its impact on public health,” cautioned lead author Tao Yan, Ph.D. The side effect from your perfect afternoon in contaminated sand? Things like diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, and infections, the study authors warn.

But don’t freak out and cancel that trip to Cabo just yet, says Russ Kino, M.D., the medical director of the Emergency Department at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. “There’s nothing to worry about from walking or playing on the beach,” he says. “If you have an open wound on your legs or feet then there is a risk of infection, but just walking around the beach? Forget it. You’re safe.”

He doesn’t dispute that there are poop germs (and worse) on beaches, but he says that our built-in safety system—our skin—does a great job of keeping germs out. Even if you’re doing something a little more dirty, like letting your friends bury you in the sand, enjoying a picnic on the beach, or having a romantic (ahem) moment, you’re more likely to get sick from the activity than you are from the sand, according to Kino.

“Honestly, the biggest risk from the beach is a sunburn,” he says, adding that his number one tip for beach safety is to wear a hat and shirt with UPF protection and a good sunscreen, as melanoma is still the number one cancer killer of women under 35 years of age.