Sun damage builds up gradually and progressively. As awareness of the damaging effects of the sun has increased, so has the availability of sunscreens.

Sunscreens lay down a protective film that either absorbs or reflects UV light thereby preventing damaging rays from reaching the skin. In order to be effective, sunscreens need to be applied liberally, evenly and frequently.

Sunscreens are evaluated based upon their sun protection factor (SPF). SPF is a measure of how much sunburn protection the product provides. SPF indicates how long a person can stay in the sun without burning and is dependent on the place, time, and the individual's skin type. For example, SPF 15 will allow a person to stay in the sun for 15 times longer than with no protection. If the individual normally burns in 10 minutes, they could stay in the sun for 2 hours with SPF 15.

Skin Types

• Type I Never tans - always burns
• Type II Minimally tans - always burns
• Type III Gradually tans - often burns
• Type IV Tans well - frequently burns
• Type V Tans dark - seldom burns
• Type VI Turns very dark - never burns

Skin Type I people are very fair skinned, with blonde or red hair and green or blue eyes; they never tan but always burn.

Skin Type II people are also fair skinned with light hair and blue or green eyes, are usually of northern European extraction, and tan a little but always burn.

Skin Type III people have light brown hair, gradually tan, and frequently burn.

Skin Type IV people are of southern European extraction. They tan well but also burn frequently.

Skin Type V people have tanned skin and they turn darker in the sun. They do burn but not very often.

Skin Type VI people are of African origin and turn very dark in the sun and hardly ever burn.

Tips

Apply Sunscreen Before You Go Outside! Not only does this ensure that you won't miss spots that are hard to reach, but also you will be protected from the incidental sun exposure you'll get on your way to your "fun in the sun" location.

Remember to Protect Your Lips! Look for a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher such as Banana Boat® Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to protect your lips from the sun.

Take Cover! Cover up with sun protective clothing, wide brimmed hats, sunglasses and sunscreen to keep out harmful rays all year long. Remember that the sun's rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm.

Block It! Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher whenever you spend time outdoors. Sunscreen should be used in all seasons since the sun's rays can harm you all year long. Be sure to reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring, or towel drying.

Apply Enough! Always use the proper amount of sunscreen. 30 ml (or a golf ball sized amount) covers an average-sized adult wearing a bathing suit.

Hit the Spots! Remember to use sunscreen on often-missed spots like under your eyes, your ears, lips, and shoulders, behind your knees and on top of your feet. Banana Boat® Faces Plus Sunscreen Lotion SPF 23 and Spot Stick SPF 30 make covering these delicate areas quick and easy.