Swimming, camping, hiking, golfing, or hanging in the yard, whatever your plans this summer make sure they include sunscreen.
Proper use of sunscreen is critical to protecting your skin, not only from sunburn but also from premature aging and most importantly from the most common type of cancer in the United States, skin cancer.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends you use sunscreen every day you will be outside, even on cloudy days, especially if you will be near sand, snow, or water as the UV rays reflect off of these surfaces and increase your chance of sunburn.
Most people don’t apply enough sunscreen needed to achieve the amount of SPF on the label. Here is the American Academy of Dermatology’s recommendation for proper sunscreen application:
- Apply enough sunscreen to cover all exposed skin. Most adults need about 1 ounce — or enough to fill a shot glass — to fully cover their entire body.
- Don’t forget to apply it to the tops of your feet, your neck, your ears, and the top of your head.
- Apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes before going outdoors.
- Skin cancer also can form on the lips. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm or lipstick that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
- When outdoors, reapply sunscreen approximately every two hours, or after swimming or sweating, according to the directions on the bottle.
Your skin works hard daily to protect you from external factors, so take the time to return the favor before heading outside for some summer fun.
