Sunscreen Is A Must In The Sun

Remember years ago, when you'd walk into a pharmacy only to be greeted by a cut out of a young female in a bikini boasting how to get that deep, dark, tropical tan? I still remember all those suntan lotions and creams, and how little jars of cocoa butter would melt at the beach and make everything smell like coconut in your picnic basket.

Many still sport a tan, but now we've learned the harmful effects of too much sun without protection. It's a good idea to pack and apply a good sunscreen to your skin that's exposed to the sun. And while you're at it, apply sunscreen on the kids, even though they don't want to stand still for the application, which holds up getting into the water. During the Frog Days of Summer, make sure you have the proper SPF sunscreen.

According to medicinenet.com , here's what meant by SPF:

"SPF, an abbreviation for sun-protection factor, is a number such as 15, 30, or 50 that indicates the degree of sunburn protection provided by sunscreens. SPF is related to the total amount of sun exposure rather than simply the length of sun exposure. It is a common mistake to assume that the duration of effectiveness of a sunscreen can be calculated simply by multiplying the SPF by the length of time it takes for him or her to suffer a burn without sunscreen, because the amount of sun exposure a person receives is dependent upon more than just the length of time spent in the sun.

Further, sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours when staying outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Sunscreen should also be applied at least 30 minutes before going outdoors.

People with sensitive skin who burn quickly and must spend a lot of time outdoors should always apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more."