THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUNSCREEN

With summer around the corner and many more outdoor activities available, here are some things you should know about protecting your skin.

1.  EXPOSURE TIME - even with sunscreen, try and limit your exposure to the sun especially during the hours of 10am and 4pm when the sun is at its peak.  Seek shade or prepare with protective clothing.
2. SPF - The SPF number on the bottle refers to how long you can stay in the sun without burning.  For example, if you typically burn after 10 minutes of being out in the sun an SPF of 30 would theoretically give you 300 minutes of protection before you will begin to burn.
3. Water Resistant - if you'll be at the beach, in the pool, or sweating, make sure to have a sunblock that is "water resistant"
4. Application - make sure to thoroughly cover areas of your body that will be exposed to the sun.  It takes approximately 1oz (a shot glass) to cover your body.
5. Reapplication - make sure to reapply every 2-3 hours to have continued protection.  Sunblock can wipe away, be washed away by water or sweat (even if it is "water resistant")