The sun protection factors -- or SPF ratings -- given to sun screens are supposed to provide a guide for how long someone can stay in the sun without getting sunburned. In practice, however, clothing rubs off or absorbs some of the sun screen, and water and perspiration can wash it away.
A study done in Vail, Colo., gave skiers unmarked tubes of SPF-15 or SPF-30 sun screen. The skiers who applied sun screen at least every two hours were five times less likely to sunburn than those who reapplied sun screen less frequently. The SPF didn't matter, says a news service story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Deseret News reminds us that sunburns can also occur on cloudy days. The feature reviews different ways to reduce the risk of burning and describes what to do if a sunburn occurs.
Those who sun themselves to develop a tan might consider sunless tanning products. Not only do they spare your skin from potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation, but new formulations avoid the unnatural, orange color produced by earlier products. A story from
CHEK-TV, in Victoria, British Columbia, describes some of the new products and offers tips for using self-tanners.
