Spending time outside is a great way to be\nphysically active, reduce stress, and get vitamin D. You can work and\nplay outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from\nthe sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most skin cancers are caused by too much\nexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV rays are an invisible kind of\nradiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can\ndamage skin cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Protection from UV rays is important all year,\nnot just during the summer. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and\nthey reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. In the\ncontinental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.\ndaylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UV Index forecasts the strength of\nUV rays each day. If the UV index is 3 or higher in your area, protect your\nskin from too much exposure to the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE SUN <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shade<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can reduce your risk of sun damage and skin\ncancer by staying in the shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter. Your\nbest bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing\nwhen you are outside\u2014even when you\u2019re in the shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clothing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long\npants and skirts, which can provide protection from UV rays. If wearing this\ntype of clothing is not practical, try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up.\nClothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt\noffers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more\nprotection than lighter colors. Some clothing is certified under international\nstandards as offering UV protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For the most protection, wear a hat that has a\nbrim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck.\nA tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV\nrays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. A darker hat may\noffer more UV protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you wear a baseball cap, you should also\nprotect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers\nthose areas, using sunscreen, or staying in the shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunglasses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and\nreduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your\neyes from sun exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays\noffer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States,\nregardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because\nthey block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put on broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and\nUVB rays and has an SPF of 15 or higher before you go outside. Don\u2019t forget to\nput a thick layer on all exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like\nyour back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunscreen is not recommended for babies who are 6 months old or\nyounger. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping infants out\nof the sun during midday and using protective clothing if they have to be in\nthe sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SPF.<\/strong> Sunscreens\nare assigned a sun protection factor<\/em> (SPF), which is\na number that rates how well they block UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more\nprotection. You should use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reapplication.<\/strong> Sunscreen\nwears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than 2 hours and\nafter swimming, sweating, or toweling off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Expiration date.<\/strong> Check\nthe sunscreen\u2019s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a\nshelf life of no more than 3 years. Its shelf life is shorter if it has been\nexposed to high temperatures.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n This content is written by the\nCDC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Resource<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup>Centers\nfor Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, April 28). Sun safety<\/em>.\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.\nhttps:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cancer\/skin\/basic_info\/sun-safety.htm. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Spending time outside is a great way to be physically active, reduce stress, and get vitamin D. You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun. Most skin cancers are caused by …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":5427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,58,100,101,103,131,182,314,339,341,342,363],"tags":[857,902,916,1006,1447,1550,1758,2279,3125,3158,3230,3280,3365,3420,3464,3525,3659,3666,3668,3910,3911,3912,3913,3914,3915,4000],"yoast_head":"\nSUNSCREEN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n