8 ways to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage

          The sun can do much more damage than simply give you a painful sunburn. Dermatologists (skin doctors) say that prolonged exposure to sunlight causes brown spots; red, scaly spots; drying and wrinkling; and, worst of all, skin cancer.

The 8 ways to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage are :

1. Cover Up
One of the best things you can do is cover up. The sun's rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Stay indoors during this time, or if you must be outdoors, cover up and wear sunscreen. The Skin Cancer Foundation says that hats and clothing made of dark, tightly woven materials absorb ultraviolet light better than cotton fabrics in lighter shades. Dry fabrics offer more protection than wet ones.

2. Spread on Sunscreen
Applying only a thin coating of a sunscreen can reduce the effectiveness of the product by as much as 50 percent. Waterproof sunscreen is best if you'll be swimming.

3. Protect Yourself From Reflected Light
Keep in mind that even umbrellas or shade trees provide only moderate protection from ultraviolet light, and they don't protect you from rays reflected off sand, snow, concrete and many other surfaces.

4. Avoid Sunbathing
Doctors can't say it enough: There is no such thing as a "healthy tan." But while sunbathing is a no-no for everyone, it's an especially bad idea for fair-skinned people. Many of them can't tan anyway and only risk getting a serious burn.
If you refuse to give up sunbathing, take it slowly and let your skin gradually build up melanin to provide some protection. And don't use tanning oils, which enhance the effects of ultraviolet rays and worsen a burn.

5. Watch Out for Photosensitivity
Some drugs, such as tetracycline and diuretics, can make your skin extra sensitive to sun exposure and increase the risk of sunburn. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about this possibility if you are taking any medications.

6. Mind the Nose and Feet
Protruding horizontal surfaces like the nose present special sun protection problems. Lifeguards often wear zinc oxide paste on their nose, but it only provides an SPF of about seven. Instead, apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, let it soak in a few minutes, and then, for maximum protection, apply the zinc oxide paste. And if you'll be going shoeless, you'd be wise to use the same level of protection on the tops of your feet.

7. Protect Your Ears
Too often, people forget to protect sensitive spots like the tops of the ears, the hairline, the "V" of the chest, the nose and the hands. The Skin Cancer Foundation says 80 percent of skin cancers occur on the head, neck and hands.

8. Apply Early and Often
Apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before exposure to allow the skin to absorb it. And reapply it every two hours -- more often if you're sweating or getting wet. If you have fair skin, you might even want to begin preparing for sun exposure the night before by putting on a layer of sunscreen before bed; this will allow it to be thoroughly absorbed into the skin's outer layer. Then apply the usual coat of sunscreen the next day, about a half hour before you go outside.