FRIDAY, May 28, 2004 (HealthDayNews) --You know enough to know you need to use sunscreen or sunblock when spending a lot of time outdoors.
But as the long weekend that signals the start of the holiday season approaches, do you know how to use sunscreen correctly?
Doctors are spreading the word about how and when to use sunscreen as part of the American Academy of Dermatology's Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month.
"If a person is going to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 for basic protection year-round," Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, of the dermatology department at Wake Forest University, says in a prepared statement.
Sunscreens should be water-resistant so they aren't easily removed by sweating or swimming. And you need to use a sunscreen even on a cloudy day, as 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays pass through clouds.
Sunscreens should be applied to dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, and reapplied every two hours. One ounce -- enough to fill a shot glass -- is considered enough to properly cover the exposed areas of the body.
Lips can get sunburned, too, so remember to use a lip balm that contains sunscreen.
You also should realize that sunscreens do not completely prevent UV light from reaching your skin, and that the SPF rating can be somewhat optimistic.
"Since an SPF measurement is the most protection a person can receive under the best possible conditions, many times sunscreens do not perform up to labeled SPF ratings," Draelos says. "This is due to a variety of factors, including the effects of wind, humidity, perspiration and facial movement, as well as uneven product application."
More information
The National Cancer Institute has more about melanoma.
