Use the following tips to protect your skin from the sun. You may decrease your chances of getting skin cancer and help prevent wrinkles.
People with darker skin don't sunburn as easily. But they can still get skin cancer. It's important to use sun protection, no matter what color your skin is.
Peak hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find shade if you need to be outdoors. You can also find how much UV exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule. If your shadow is longer than you, then UV exposure is low. If your shadow is shorter than you, then UV exposure is high.
This can include:
This includes summer and winter, on both cloudy and clear days.
Apply to all exposed skin, including the nose, lips, ears, scalp, back of the hands, and neck. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going in the sun, and reapply it every 2 hours and after swimming, exercising, or sweating.
Use lip balm or cream that has an SPF of 30 or higher to protect your lips from getting sunburned.
Choose ones that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation.
These surfaces can reflect 85% of the sun's rays.
This includes sunlamps and tanning booths. Like the sun, they can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer.
If you can't avoid being in the sun, use a sunscreen to help protect your skin while you are in the sun. Sunscreens come in lotions, gels, creams, ointments, and sprays.
Here's how to choose the right sunscreen.
Start protecting your child from the sun when your child is a baby. Because children spend a lot of time outdoors playing, they get most of their lifetime sun exposure in their first 18 years.
This is the safest thing to do for young babies. Children 6 months and older can go in the sun, but they should have their skin protected from too much sun exposure.
Use the "ABCs" to do this. These are:
Stay away from the sun as much as possible from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. Find shade if you need to be outdoors.
Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher to protect babies' and children's very sensitive skin.
Have your child wear clothing that covers the skin, hats with wide brims, and sunglasses with UV protection. Even 1-year-old children should wear sunglasses with UV protection.
Current as of: November 15, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Patrice Burgess MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
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