Here comes the sun: What you need to know about protecting your skin this summer

The warmer months are upon us, and you'll want to be outside enjoying the sunshine, right? The sun provides Vitamin D, which is good for our bones, and has even been shown to boost mental health.

But the sun also contains harmful UVA and UVB rays that cause freckles, wrinkles and skin cancer. Sun protection is crucial when spending outdoors, and your sunscreen of choice needs more than a pretty smell and impressive label.

Here are 10 things you need to know about protecting your skin, and how to watch for signs that you may have more than a sunburn:

__1. There are different types of sun rays, and you want to be protected from both.__ Put simply, UVA rays cause tanning and UVB rays cause burns, says Dr. Charles Moon of Advanced Dermatology of Southeast Missouri.

"Both are damaging and increase risk of skin cancer and premature aging," he says. "You have to protect against both."

For the best protection, use sunscreens labeled as "broad spectrum," which will protect from both types of the sun's rays. Also look for a seal indicating the product will protect for 80 minutes. Moon also recommends sunscreens containing titanium dioxide and zinc. An SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 is plenty, he says.

__2. Know your SPF numbers.__ An SPF 15 protects against 93 percent of UVB rays; SPF 30 protects against 97 percent of UVB rays; and SPF 50 protects against 98 percent of UVB rays.

"Current FDA guidelines recommend that a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher be used to decrease the risk of skin cancer and skin aging caused by overexposure to the sun," says Dr. Chelsea Grigery, a pediatrician at Southeast Pediatrics. "SPF sunscreens greater than 50 have little additional protection."

Stock photo

__3. You're probably not using enough sunscreen.__ You need about 2 ounces of sunscreen to cover your body -- that's about a shot glass full, maybe two, depending on the size of your body, Moon says. And, you should be reapplying about every two hours, especially if you're swimming or sweating.

"Most people want to try to use it sparingly so they're not buying it quite as often, but like any type of lotion, for sunscreen to work correctly, you're going to be reapplying it, especially after you're done exercising or working outside, because you sweat it off," says Vanessa Landers, a communicable disease coordinator at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. "You need to be very careful and apply it like it says to get the results you want."

Woman in bikini applying sunscreen on skin

__4. Replace your sunscreen often.__ Sunscreens generally expire about three years from the manufacture date and should not be used after expiration, says Grigery.

"You should not be holding on to sunscreen for years -- you are probably not using enough," adds Moon. "If sunscreens are left in the heat of your car or in the sun for long durations, they may break down. You need to pay attention to (expiration dates), and if the product has separated out, then you need to spend the $10 and get a new bottle."

__5. Makeup with an SPF helps, to an extent.__ Many foundations and lip products have built-in sunscreen, which is OK for daily use, but if you're in the sun and sweating, it's probably not enough.

"It probably only gives protection for a couple of hours, so by noon, if you apply in the morning, it will not be protective," Moon says.

__6. The sunscreen habit should start early in life.__ One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence doubles the risk of melanoma later in life; five sunburns by any age doubles the risk as well, Moon says.

"It is the intense sun at a young age that may in fact be the most damaging, but we still need to protect when we are older and have a higher risk of cancer development in general," he says.

The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the use of sunscreens in infants 6 months of age and younger, says Grigery -- it's best to keep babies younger than 6 months out of the sun as much as possible.

__7. If you do get sunburned, know how to care for it.__

"The main thing is to keep it from happening, but if does happen, stay out of the sun until it heals, and make sure there's plenty of moisture going into the skin," Landers says.

Cool compresses, aloe vera, calamine lotion, ibuprofen and hydrocortisone can help relieve the pain of sunburns. However, Grigery says these remedies can only help with uncomfortable symptoms -- they can't speed recovery of the burn or prevent skin cancer.

Severe sunburns with blistering, severe pain, fever, headaches, vomiting or dehydration may require a doctor's care, including an IV for fluids and pain control, says Grigery.

"Blistered areas should be covered with sterile dressings and topical antibiotics to prevent infection of the skin," she adds.

__8. Watch for signs of skin cancer.__ Remember the acronym ABCDE to assess for melanoma and suspicious moles or lesions:

A -- Asymmetry of color and shape

B -- Border irregularities, such as jagged edges

C -- Color variations within the same mole or lesion

D -- Diameter larger than 6 millimeters

E -- Evolving shape, color or size, or the appearance of a new lesion

Other skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, may look like a red pimple or scaly red spots that never heal, says Moon. Also watch out for anything that looks like a pearly, waxy bump; a scarlike lesion that develops after a sunburn; or large, brown spots with freckles, says Grigery.

__9. Add an extra layer of protection.__ You can also prevent sunburns by staying out of the sun during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), spending time in the shade and wearing protective hats, sunglasses and clothing. (Fun fact: A T-shirt has an SPF of 6, says Moon.)

__10. If you must tan, do it sparingly, or opt for a spray tan or self-tanning lotion.__

"I see so many moms with kids that have been beautifully protected from the sun, but mom is burned and not using sunscreen, or worse, using a tanning bed," says Moon. "Tanning beds may be one of the main reasons we are seeing a higher rate of melanoma development in young women."

Eleven states now prohibit tanning bed use by people younger than 18, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Missouri is not one of them, but neighboring Illinois does ban minors from using tanning beds.

For more information about sunscreen and skin cancer, visit the Skin Cancer Foundation at www.skincancer.org or the American Academy of Dermatology at www.aad.org.