Sun Safety Facts

Everyone enjoys a summer in the sun, but some people don't realize the potential dangers. Read on to learn the facts about protecting yourself and your family against the potentially damaging rays of the sun.

1. After applying sunscreen, you should give it 20 to 30 minutes to dry before going outside. It takes this long after application for the chemicals to start working. Letting the sunscreen dry also helps ensure that it stays on your skin.

2. If you've been in the sun or water, you should reapply waterproof sunscreen every two hours. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied regularly if you've been in the sun or water -- even if it claims to be "waterproof."

3. Surfaces such as sand or water reflect up to 85 percent of the sun's damaging rays. It's especially important to protect your skin and eyes around these surfaces.

4. Tightly woven clothing in dark colors provides the best protection from the sun.

5. The sun is strongest -- and most dangerous -- between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises staying out of the sun during these hours.

6. A sunscreen's Sun Protection Factor (SPF) number refers to the factor by which it enhances a person's natural sun protection. If someone normally burns in 20 minutes, then a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would protect them for 300 minutes (SPF 15 x 20 minutes = 300 minutes).

7. The minimum SPF number recommended by the AAD is 15. The AAD recommends applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with this minimum SPF daily.

8. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that you begin applying sunscreen to your baby when he's 6 months old. Infants burn easily because of their thinner skin and undeveloped melanin. But sunscreen should not be applied to babies under 6 months of age. Instead, keep your baby shielded from the sun or have him wear protective clothing if the sun is unavoidable.

9. Clouds and pollution often give a false sense of protection. Even on cloudy or hazy days, unseen ultraviolet sun rays can cause unexpected sunburn and skin damage.

10. Toy sunglasses worn in the sun may be worse for your baby's eyes than nothing at all. Toy sunglasses simply shade baby's eyes, making her pupils larger and actually allowing more damaging rays to reach the inside of the eye.

11. Some babies are sensitive to para aminobenzoic acid (PABA), the active ingredient in many sunscreens. A lotion or milky gel-type sunscreen is preferable to the clear alcohol type, which may irritate baby's skin on application.

Sources: American Academy of Dermatology; American Medical Association

Reviewed 2/02 by Jane Forester, MD

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.