Sunscreens: What You Should Know

10 Dos and Don’ts of Sunscreen It’s finally summertime, and we’re all gearing up for weekend beach trips and outdoor barbecues. It’s all fun in the sun…until someone gets burned.

Not only do the sun’s ultraviolet rays cause red, painful sunburns, but going out in the sun unprotected prematurely ages our skin and ups our chances of developing skin cancer like melanoma. According to the American Cancer Society, over two million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year—most of them due to too much sun exposure.

As long as you slather on the right sunscreen, you can still enjoy the sunshine. Here are 10 dos and don’ts for buying, wearing and reapplying sunscreen to help you protect your skin the right way this summer. We've also included details on the new federal sunscreen regulations that will take place next summer.

DO Know What ‘SPF’ Means “SPF” stands for “sun protection factor.” The SPF number on your sunscreen bottle tells you how long you can stay out in the sun without burning. For instance, if you normally start to burn in 10 minutes and you wear an SPF 2 sunscreen, you get just 20 minutes out in the sun before you’ll start to burn, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. That being said, you should take other factors into consideration: whether you take a shorter time to burn, whether the sunscreen is wearing off and the time of day your skin is being exposed to the sun (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. is peak time). The FDA now suggests applying a golf-ball-sized amount of sunscreen and reapplying that every two hours.

And it’s important to keep in mind that the SPF has nothing to do with what percentage of the sun is being blocked. For example, SPF 70 doesn’t mean you’re protected from 70 percent of the rays.

DO Look For A Seal Of Approval Before you head to the register, makes sure your chosen sunscreen carries the seal of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and/or the Skin Cancer Foundation. Both of these organizations approve sunscreens that provide broad spectrum protection against dangerous UVA and UVB rays. The FDA recently announced that it has developed new protocols for evaluating the effectiveness of products' broad spectrum protection. So beginning in the summer of 2012, only sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher, plus a demonstrated broad-spectrum protection, can be labeled as helping to protect against skin cancer and signs of early aging.

DO Use At Least SPF 15 or 30 Even if you’re not on the beach, it’s important to wear at least SPF 15 every day of the year. If you have plans to be outside for a long period of time, reach for the SPF 30 for extra protection. Just this month, the FDA came down hard on products of between SPF 2 and SPF 14, saying that by next year, their labels will have to have a warning that they do not help protect against skin cancer and early signs of aging.

DON’T Bother With Anything More Than SPF 50 According to the FDA, there is no scientific evidence that sunscreen claiming a higher SPF than 50 does a better job at protecting you from harmful rays. In addition, wearing an SPF 100 might make you feel a little overconfident about not getting burned, leaving you less likely to reapply when needed.

DON’T Be Fooled By ‘Waterproof’ Just because a sunscreen is labeled ‘waterproof’ or ‘water-resistant’ doesn’t mean you’re completely in the clear after swimming. Even these formulas will begin to wear off if you sweat excessively, spend extensive time in the water or dry off with a towel. It’s important to reapply these sunscreens as well. In fact, under new federal regulations announced this month, the terms 'waterproof' or 'sweat-proof' won't be allowed beginning in 2012, and 'water-resistant' products will have to specify exactly how long they are effective.

DON’T Splurge On Expensive Brands According to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the CBS News medical correspondent, drugstore brand sunscreens are a-okay. Target Up & Up Lotion SPF 30 ($4.54) and Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous Spray SPF 30 ($5.99) will protect your skin just as well as the pricier names.

DO Apply Before Heading Outside According to Dr. Doris Day, MD, FAAD and author of ‘Forget the Facelift’, it’s best to apply your sunscreen at least 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors. This allows the formula to be fully absorbed into your skin.

DON’T Miss Any Spots! Of course applying sunscreen to your face, arms, legs and stomach is extremely important. But don’t forget about your feet, hands, neck and ears. These areas are not only quick to show signs of aging, but are also prone to melanoma.

Have someone else help you with those hard-to-reach areas like your back. To keep your lips from burning, wear chapstick with SPF. And invest in a pretty sunhat to protect your scalp.

DO Apply Even If It’s Cloudy Just because the sun’s hiding, doesn’t mean you can’t get burned. Even on a gray day, up to 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays can still penetrate the clouds. So slather up!

DO Check The Expiration Date Yes, sunscreen does have a shelf life. After about three years, it’s time to toss our your supply and restock to ensure that the ingredients are fresh and your skin is properly protected. But if you’re using enough sunscreen, you shouldn’t have a bottle for much longer than that anyway!