First Day of Summer! Celebrate Sans Sunburn

While you may have started celebrating early, June 21 marks the first official day of Summer! While that's good news for the kids and beach-goers, early Summer days can wreak havoc on skin that's just emerging from hibernation. Here are some quick facts about sun damage, and tips about how to protect your skin this Summer: 1) Sun damage is cumulative. Small amounts of sun exposure over time can result in damaged skin--leading to wrinkles and skin cancer. 2) Avoiding the sun during the middle of the day helps avoid damage. When possible, staying indoors when the sun is at it's most intense (between 10am and 2pm) is a good idea. 3) Not all sunscreen is created equal. Carefully inspect your bottle of sunblock: is it a high enough SPF to adequately protect you? Does the date show it's expired? Is the formula a good match for your needs (i.e. will it stay on in water if you're planning to swim)? 4) All skin types need sun protection. While those with more melanin in their skin (darker skin tones) may not burn as easily, photodamage can still occur, so it's important to protect all skin types by applying sunblock or wearing UV-protective clothing when spending time in the sun. For more information about sun damage, skin health, and cosmetic dermatology, visit DermaNetwork.org.