Tips for Protecting Your Skin from the Sun

Summers seem to get getting longer and hotter these days.  Once the temperatures warm up, people are outside in the pool, at the beach, camping and doing other outdoor activities.  Being outside is great, but what people don’t realize is that the sun has been steadily getting stronger over the years.  Typically, the sun is strongest from 10 am to 4 pm, especially in the summer months from May to August.  You even have to be careful in winter as well since snow can reflect 85% to 90% of the sun rays.  This means that it is more important than ever to protect your skin so that you don’t develop skin cancer later in life.

The easiest and quickest way to protect your skin in the sun is to wear sunscreen.  Sunscreen has improved over the years and it protects a lot better than what it has in the past.  Dermatologists say that you need to cover every bit of skin not covered by clothing, including the backs of your hands.  You should put it on 15 minutes before you go out and reapply it every two hours, especially if you have been swimming or sweating heavily.  Vacation spots like Boca Raton Florida see a lot of people getting badly sunburned at the beach because they do not apply enough sunscreen.

You can also protect your skin by covering up more with clothing if possible.  Hats with large brims will keep your face and top of your head safe.  You can also wear light sleeves if it’s cool enough.  You should also make sure to have an umbrella with you if you are at the beach so that you have a nice shady place to cool off.

By protecting your skin, you are keeping yourself healthy & protecting against skin cancer and other skins issues.  Dermatologists like Dr. Herschthal in Boca Raton can answer any questions you have about keeping your skin safe, and well as any answer questions about other skin issues you may have.

Last updated by Angela Rogers on February 12, 2016.