Sun avoidance from 10 am to 4 pm is the best sun protection available.- Wear sun protective clothing, sunglasses and a hat whenever outdoors…it is better protection than any sunscreen currently available.
- Even the best sunscreens do not block out all the sun’s harmful rays.
- Always look for sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB rays AKA “Broad Spectrum.”
- Make daily sunscreen a part of your daily morning routine like brushing your teeth.
- Don’t be fooled on cloudy days. You still need your sunscreen…harmful UVA rays go right through clouds causing skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.
- When swimming or exercising outdoors, remember to re-apply sunscreen often (every 1-2 hours) and generously. It takes 1 full ounce (a full shot glass size) of sunscreen to cover your body from head to toe to get the true SPF value on the label. That means an 8 oz. tube of sunscreen should be fully used up after 1-2 days of total body exposure to the sun!
- Look for ingredients like Mexoryl, micronized titanium and zinc & Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone) for UVA protection.
- SPF ratings only apply to UVB rays. There is no standardized UVA measurement on sunscreen labels yet.
- SPF is only a guideline. Remember this number is calculated in a lab under ideal conditions. Sweating, rubbing, altitude, under application of sunscreen all affect the true SPF. In one study, an SPF 50 on the label only gave a true SPF value of 2.7 due to under application!
- Daily moisturizers or make up that contain sunscreen are not enough protection against skin cancer.
- No matter what the label says, no sunscreen is truly waterproof. All will come off in the water or when sweating.
- To prevent telltale signs of aging, use sunscreen on your hands and neck too.
- Men need sunscreen on their scalps if balding, as well as their ears and back of the neck. Hats are even better!
- Use a lip balm with sunscreen to protect your lips.