Anyone with a family history of skin cancer and people who have very fair skin that never tans but always burns should apply a sunscreen. In addition to skin cancer, long-term sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and “broken” (dilated) blood vessels, and it can make the skin look older.
The following are recommendations modified from those of the Skin Cancer Foundation:
Avoid sun exposure during the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is strongest.
Wear protective headgear such as a hat with a wide brim or a baseball cap; wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Apply a sunscreen at least 30 minutes before sun exposure. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater to prevent burning. For sunscreens to work best, they should be reapplied every 2 to 3 hours, especially after swimming, toweling off, or sweating.
Be aware of reflected light from sand, water, or snow. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can still bounce off these surfaces. Beach umbrellas and other kinds of shade are a good idea, but they do not provide full protection.
Choose a waterproof sunscreen. Remember, even water-resistant sunscreens should be reapplied often, about every 2 hours.
Apply sunscreen generously and evenly so as not to miss any areas of sun-exposed skin. Keep sunscreen out of your eyes. If it makes your eyes sting, make sure you use a pure, so-called “chemical-free” product on your face; however, such “chemical-free” products generally require more rubbing to get them to disappear.
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both ultraviolet B (UVB, the burning rays) and ultraviolet A (UVA, the more penetrating rays that promote wrinkling and aging).
Excellent choices for infants and young children are Neutrogena Sensitive Skin UVA/UVB SPF 30 and Vanicream (SPF 15). Both are “chemical-free,” opaque, physical sunscreens that contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which block, reflect, or scatter UV energy. They provide good coverage, are waterproof, and cause fewer allergic reactions than other sunscreens.
Be aware that moisturizers that contain built-in sunscreens usually have a lower SPF.
When tested against one another, all name-brand sunscreens performed well, so choose one based on such factors as feel, absorbency, and price. Gel (alcohol)-based products disappear into the skin quickly. Each dermatologist has his or her own favorite, but you should experiment until you find your own favorite.
Mexoryl-containing sunscreens from LaRoche-Posay (brand name Anthelios) have a better UVA-blocking capability than traditional sunscreens. This sunscreen may be used by anyone but may be especially helpful for people with sun-sensitive diseases such as lupus or “sun poisoning” (polymorphous light eruption), or those taking medications that make them sun sensitive.
Further advice
Avoid tanning beds! The UV light from tanning beds causes skin cancer and wrinkling. UVA light goes deep in the skin and contributes to photoaging, causing wrinkling, brown spots, leathery skin, and skin cancer.
Most clothing absorbs or reflects UV rays. However, lighter colored and loosely knit fabrics as well as wet clothes that cling to the skin do not offer much protection. The tighter the weave, the more sun protection the clothing offers.
If you tan easily, you may use a sunscreen with a lower SPF number.
Lips are also sun sensitive, so use special lip-coating sunscreens that have a waxy base.
You can use self-tanning preparations that dye the skin (self-tanning lotion and spray products), but be aware that they offer very little sun protection, unless they are combined with a sunscreen.
Certain drugs can make you more likely to burn, such as tetracycline and doxycycline, diuretics (“water pills”), and certain oral antidiabetic medications.