All across America, people are packing up the kids, the coolers, and towels, headed to enjoy the kick-off of summer. But, will you be tossing the correct sunscreen into your bag?

If the weather gods are on our side this weekend, many of us will spend a lot of time outside. But, it’s crucial to remember that more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. You can have fun in the sun…but there are many things about sunscreen you need to know to properly protect yourself.

Many grills will get fired up to start the summer season. But, that’s not the only thing that will get cooking this weekend.
Skin will really take a beating this holiday, as it gets burned, blistered and tanned by the sun’s rays.
“We know from real dermatologic studies that people don’t put enough sunscreen on. People go out in the sun and they use too little an application to get great protection,” says dermatologist, Dr. Marsha Gordon of Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should apply sunscreen every day if you plan on being in the sun for more than 20 minutes. And, you should wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. In terms of blocking burning rays, there’s no difference between a 15 and a 30 or 40. An SPF of 30 will in theory allow you to stay out in the sun twice as long as an SPF 15, but not really, because sunscreen breaks down over time. Medical experts say reapplication is crucial.
Find the SPF that feels good on your skin. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends reapplication every 2 hours or immediately after swimming or perspiring. And don’t cut corners, because any tan is a bad tan.
“Having a tan means that the skin became damaged. A tan is the skin’s defense against further damage,” says Dr. Gordon.
In order to enjoy some guilt-free fun in the sun, the key is slathering it on. The recommended usage of sunscreen, per application, is enough to fill 2 tablespoons.
“People often forget areas like their ears, their hair line, above the lip, the neck and shoulders,” says Dr. Gordon.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, because it has to sink into the skin. You can’t apply and then immediately go swimming. People also often forget about the scalp area, and so spray on sunscreens can help with that. It's best to stay out of the sun between 11am and 2pm.
Also, Dr. Gordon suggests using a sunscreen that has zinc or titanium. Something that contains parsol 1789 is also a good choice.
She said these physical blockers do a great job at absorbing the sun’s radiation and dissipating the energy in a way that’s not damaging to the skin.
For more information on how to protect yourself against the sun, click here:
http://www.aad.org/
http://www.healthnewsconnect.com/page0041.html

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