Skin cancer is an increasingly common disease that is thought to be caused by over exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This combined with certain genetic predispositions, like fair skin, can make a person particularly vulnerable to developing skin cancer. Most people get exposed to UV radiation from spending time in the Sun. As it is practically impossible to avoid being in the Sun, minimizing the amount of time spent in the Sun or limiting it’s impact on the skin is often advised. This article will cover some of the ways to protect yourself from the damaging affect of the Sun. It concentrates on how sunscreen can protect you from developing skin cancer.

Before covering how sunscreen works, it should be reiterated that sunscreen is not the only way to protect your skin from the sun. It should be used in conjunction with some of the ideas covered below.

Avoiding over exposure to UV rays is done by avoiding exposure to the Sun. The worst time to be in the sun is around midday when it is high in the sky. A few hours either side of this time are also bad. Try to avoid being in the Sun around this time. If you are in the Sun around this time, or any time for that matter, take precautions.

Wear clothing that can protect your skin form sunlight. Darker colored clothing works better than lighter colors. cover your arms and legs if practical or comfortable.

Always wear a hat in the Sun. A hat with a wide brim will protect your face and scalp from UV rays. Some people use a sun umbrella to protect themselves too.

Wear a good pair of sunglasses, as skin cancer can also affect the eyes.

After taking all these precautions you should then apply sunscreen. Cover parts of your body that are not protected by clothing and come into direct contact with the sunlight.

Sunscreen comes in two forms. There is chemical sunscreens that absorb UV rays and physical sunscreens that reflect the UV rays (sometimes referred to as sun blocks).

Sunscreen is often given a Sun Protection Factor (SPF). This indicates how effective the sunscreen is against UVB radiation. UVB radiation is thought to be the worst form of UV rays for skin. Most advice suggests a sunscreen with SPF of 30+ is the minimum that you should go for. However, SPF does not cover how the sunscreen works for UVA radiation. If you want a sunscreen that protects against UVB and UVA radiation then look for a broad spectrum sunscreen.

Sunscreens that act as a sun block are particularly useful if you work outdoors or spend plenty of time in the Sun. They are a thick cream that provides a barrier to the sunlight. People often put them on sensitive parts of the body like the lips and nose.

Sunblock creams will consist of either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (and are sometimes called zinc cream). If you don’t fancy having a band of white cream covering your nose then an alternative is ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They act in the same way as a sunblock but the cream is clear and is not obvious on the face.

Another aspect of sunscreen is that it will only last for around 2 hours so you must always reapply it after this time limit. It may be even shorter if you are very active or are swimming. You should also apply it before you go into the Sun and not once you are in it for obvious reasons but people often don’t do this.