The Dos and Don’ts of Sun Protection

Taking the right measures to prevent sunburns is not just about keeping up appearances but is also about keeping you alive!

Skin cancer is one of the most common and most preventable forms of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2007 more than one million cases of skin cancer were diagnosed. The key to protecting yourself is to wear sunscreen and to make sure that you have even coverage and have applied enough of it. Here we look at some dos and don’ts of sun protection.

Do not just apply sunscreen to your face and think you are done. You are not! Even if you plan to do some shopping or do not plan to be out very long you need to make sure that your hands, throat, chest, ears, feet and lips are protected by sunscreen. All of these areas of the skin can burn easily and are prone to the development of cancerous tumors known as melanomas.

Don’t just use sunscreen when you go outside. You need it when you stay inside your home or office as well. Most modern glass windows are able to protect the skin from the UVB rays that lead to sunburn but they have no effect on the powerful UVA rays that can penetrate glass. UVA rays are the ones that are responsible for brown spots and wrinkles. They also suppress the work of the immune system. It is particularly important that you slather on a generous portion of sunscreen when you will be driving around in your car a lot. UVA rays can make their way through the windows of motor vehicles and through the windshield.

Don’t make the assumption (because it is a wrong assumption) that a sunscreen that is marked “waterproof” or “water-resistant” will remain on your skin longer and does not need to be reapplied as often. After you have sweat a lot or been in the water for a half an hour or more the waterproof sunscreens will wear off and will require a new application.

Do use sunscreen all 12 months of the year. It is not just a summer skin care product!

Choose a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. SPF 30 to 45 is strongly recommended. What you may not be aware of is that you can still get burned by the sun on cloudy days. In fact an estimated 80 percent of the ultraviolet rays from the sun can penetrate through the clouds and can find its way to your exposed skin.

Do apply a generous portion of sunscreen to your skin. Do not be stingy with the amount you put on. Make sure you apply it before you venture outside. Putting it on once you are in the backyard, at the beach or in the car will not offer you the ultimate in protection. What you need to do to maximize its effectiveness is to apply it at least 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside. Applying it too early or too late is not going to help you much. It needs to completely absorb into your skin in order to do its job effectively.

Do choose the type of sunscreen protection that offers the best coverage for you. Lotion tends to be the most appropriate choice for most areas of the body but the new sprays can work for some of those areas where applying lotion is messy or difficult to do by yourself.

For instance the sprays are good for the scalp, the ears and the back of the neck. When you apply the spray it is recommended that you do not spray it directly on your body but spray it on your hand and from there apply it to your body. This is especially important if you decide to use sunscreen spray on your face instead of lotion.

Samantha