How should I protect my skin from the sun?

Always seek shade. It reduces UV by 50 to 95 percent. Sit under a tree or beach umbrella, walk on the shady side of the street, and park yourself on the protected side of a train, bus, or car for midday rides (glass doesn’t block UVA). You may also want to check out UV protection shields for cars (3M Company makes them) if you are a frequent commuter during daylight hours. Avoidance is your number one tactic, especially between ten in the morning and four in the afternoon, and near reflective surfaces (sand, water, snow). Even when it’s overcast, 80 percent of UV light zips right through clouds.

Cover your body. I know what you’re thinking: Who in their right mind wears a lot of clothes at the pool? Or on a hike? Be creative. At the seashore, when you’re not in the water, wrap a sarong or beach towel around your lower half, pull on a T-shirt, plop on a wide-brimmed hat, and wear your sunglasses (they’re nonnegotiable; you can burn your corneas, and who wants crow’s feet?). For sports, invest in a few pieces of lightweight clothing specially made with an ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF. A UPF of 50 means only one-fiftieth of the sun’s UV rays pass through it. Or use a laundry product with TinosorbFD to increase the UPF of your clothes; it’ll last through repeated washings.

Think one teaspoon, two shot glasses. Sunscreen only works if you use enough of it. Before you head outdoors, smooth one teaspoon’s worth of broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on your face and apply at least three ounces -- two shot glasses full -- of sunscreen to your body. On beach days, I usually slather on sunscreen when I’m naked to make sure I’m totally covered before I slip into a bathing suit. And don’t forget your ears, neck, backs of hands, feet, and lips (use at least an SPF 30 lip balm). P.S. There is no such thing as a base tan that protects you from further sun damage. A base tan can prevent burning because it’s your skin’s defense mechanism against burning, but you’ll still suffer damage.

Set your cellphone alarm. Set it to ring two to three hours later, and reapply sunscreen when it goes off. Whenever you come out of the pool or off the volleyball court, reapply even if you put on sweatproof or water-resistant sunscreen.

From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechsler.

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Sun damage that sets the stage for skin cancer is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mainly UVA and UVB. For the best protection, choose a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) rating of at least 15 and one that shields against both UVA and UVB radiation. Slather it plentifully on all exposed skin whenever you are in the sun. If you have fair skin or expect to be in the sun for several hours, a broad-brimmed hat and protective clothing can offer additional protection.

With all the fun summer activities from which to choose, it can be difficult to protect your skin from the sun. Start by avoiding peak sun hours, if possible. The sun strength is greatest in the hours just before and just after noon. In addition, use loose fitting clothes to cover your skin and if your skin is showing, use a sunscreen with spf 30 or greater. Shade and umbrellas can also be a big help.

The best line of defense against the sun is to avoid it, especially during peak sun hours. Since this isn’t always practical, next best is to cover up with SPF clothing, hats and sunglasses. If you use a stroller, buy an SPF sun shade to protect your baby. Consider a product like Sun Guard to wash SPF into your regular clothing.

Liberally apply sunscreen to exposed areas at any age, even babies when they are in the sun. I cover my boys with sun block every morning before school because I never know when they will be outside, like at recess. It’s also important to remember to reapply sunscreen frequently, at least every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.

Things to look for in a sunscreen are broad spectrum protection, water resistant and an SPF of at least 30. There are many physical sun blocks available that don’t leave a thick white film on your skin.