Don't Fry Day: Why Sun Safety Matters

CLEVELAND - Today is Don’t Fry Day, which is held every year to promote the importance of sun safety and skin cancer prevention.

Reports show one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

“A tricky thing when it comes to skin cancer and skin aging, frankly, is that when we're young, we don't think about the things we're doing now because it doesn't affect us in the same way. But by the time you get to be 40, 50, 60, and you're seeing those effects of what you've done earlier on, you're going to wish you put your sunscreen on, and you're going to wish you had protected yourself,” said Jennifer Lucas, MD, dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Lucas said there are many ways to protect your skin from the sun, including limiting your time outdoors, wearing sun-protective clothing and applying plenty of sunscreen.

She notes that sunscreen really should be worn year-round, not just in the summer since UV rays are always present.

So, which kind is best to buy?

Dr. Lucas recommends buying a brand that is broad spectrum and has an SPF of 30 or higher.

It should also be water resistant, that way if you sweat or go swimming, it won’t wash off right away.

“You want to make sure you get it on dry skin about 15 minutes before you go outside. That gives it the opportunity to get settled in and have the effects you expect when you're outside. And then you need to remember to reapply. This is the part that nobody does well. So at least every two hours, you want to reapply that sunscreen. And you want to do it sooner if you're outside playing, sweating, getting wet. Anything that may physically remove the sunscreen, you want to remember to reapply,” she emphasizes.

She adds that sunscreen needs to be applied all over the body, including places like the scalp and top of your feet.

She also reminds people to protect their eyelids and lips.

They can get burnt too.