Sunshine On My Shoulders … and your face, shoulders, back, buns and legs

School is out – or almost – and the beach plans are prepared and at the point of no return.

Ah, the thought of basking by a beautiful beach of white sand, with the gentle whoosh of the ocean gently touching your toes. “Where’s my margarita?” This is the life.

Summer is a great time for fun and the sun. For your skin, it’s a flaring nightmare of hot coals. If only your skin could scream … It would. Its darkest enemies are bright, ubiquitous and ever-penetrating ultraviolet rays. They blast your skin with the force of a fire hydrant, yet you barely know it until you step from the sun to the shade, or the shower. That’s when you see—and feel—the redness, blisters and pain. These are you skin’s early warning signals that you are killing it, perhaps slowly, but surely. And we’re not just being dramatic. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. In addition, your skin will prematurely age with wrinkles, age spots and more. That’s why skin care and treatment are so essential.

Not All Are Created Equal

We’re talking sunscreens. Using sunscreen is an obvious first step. What’s NOT so obvious is what to use, how and when to apply it. If not done correctly, it won’t protect. First, find a sunscreen with a high SPF rating. An SPF 15 deflects 93 percent of sun-burning rays, whereas SPF 30 deflects 97 percent, reports the AAD. Equally important, find one you like so you’ll really use it, and make sure it is water resistant. Examine its ingredients. Does it contain benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and avobenzone? If so, this means it protects from more than just UV rays. That’s a good thing! KEY FACT: Apply at least 15 minutes before hitting the beach, ocean or pool. A quick rub-down or spray within two minutes of fun in the sun is useless.

Put Them On Your List

You can protect your skin—and overall body—with a variety of methods. For example, what you wear. Sure, show off your buff body for a while, but get back under the umbrella after a short time. Wear a wide-brimmed hat. Use plenty of towels–to lay on—and to lay over your skin. Wear garments that can guard you from added UV rays. These are usually darker materials or tight-knit clothes. Don’t forget your lips. A quality lip balm needs to be handy, and applied often. Sunglasses are critical to protect your eyes and to minimize wrinkles around the eyes. These days, sunglasses are sized like saucers—and they look good! Wear them.

Lastly, let’s talk the sunshine and your kids. The ADD reports this startling fact: Kids get 80 percent of their total lifetime sun exposure by the time they turn 18. If a blistering sunburn is a part of that childhood, the risk of deadly skin cancer doubles later in life.

Be safe. Be smart. And have a great summer romp on the beach. With a little common sense – and patience—you can limit the amount of sun damage that may be done to your skin.