How Often Should You Apply Sunscreen??

The photo below is from the Golf Digest Website showcasing all the Sunscreen products a golfer needs to have.

Get An Early Start

The first rule of using sunscreen, and one that many people forget, is that it should be applied before you go out into the sun. You should apply sunscreen about half an hour before going outside, to allow it to penetrate the skin and begin to work.

Choosing an SPF Level

No matter how often you reapply your sunscreen, you need to choose the SPF level that's right for you. SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, gives you an idea of how long you can stay in the sun before getting burned. An SPF of 15 lets you stay out 15 times longer than if you didn't have any sunscreen. An SPF of 30 should let you stay out about 30 times as long. But keep in mind that reapplying sunscreen doesn't change the SPF! Reapplying SPF 15 isn't the same as starting out with SPF 30.

 

How Often Should You Apply Sunscreen?

According to the Australian Academy of Science, you should reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, or every hour if you're sweating a lot. Australia gets a lot of sun and has high rates of skin cancer-so they ought to know!  My sister spent a year in Australia teaching and she agrees with their statement.

If you notice your skin beginning to feel tender or turn pink, don't wait for the two hours to be up or you'll soon be needing sunburn relief. Reapply your sunscreen right away, and use a generous amount. Check the expiration date on the bottle to make sure it's still good; sunscreen can lose its effectiveness over time. And give some thought to your skin type, time of day, and time of year. Winter-pale skin will burn faster than summer-tan skin. Mid-day rays are stronger than morning or evening.

Waterproof or Water Resistant?

There's a difference between sunscreens labeled waterproof and water resistant. According to the FDA, water resistant sunscreen must continue to work at the same level for up to 40 minutes in the water. To be labeled waterproof, the sunscreen must maintain its SPF level for 80 minutes.

What this really means is that no sunscreen is truly waterproof. Check the label, and then reapply your sunscreen after about half an hour of swimming if it's "water resistant," or about an hour if it's "waterproof." If you're not swimming but you're sweating heavily, you may want to use these same time estimates to tell you when to reapply.

What's the best way to treat sunburn?

 Drink water to replace fluids, take some acetaminophen (Tylenol), and soothe the skin in cool water or, even better, milk, which creates a protein film that helps ease the discomfort, says the Skin Cancer Foundation. "When your skin begins to peel -- a natural part of the healing process -- use a non-greasy moisturizer to reduce itching," Dr. Robins says. Adds Dr. Andrew Jaffe, a dermatologist in southwest Florida: "A topical steroid can be prescribed by a doctor for a really bad burn."