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It’s day two of your beach vacation, and you notice a hot, painful tenderness come over your skin. It can only mean one thing you forgot to reapply sunscreen and now you’re sunburned.
It happens to the best of us (no matter how diligent we are). Problem is, forgetting to reapply sunscreen can lead to more than an uncomfortable skin rash: Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
The best way to reduce your risk of sunburn and skin cancer? You guessed it wearing sunscreen (putting on a wide-brimmed hat and sun-safe clothing is a good idea, too). Using a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 every day can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about 40% and melanoma 50%, per the Skin Cancer Foundation, but you should apply at least SPF 30 if you’ll be outdoors.
Dermatologists Say These Face Sunscreens Work Wonders on Signs of Aging Prevention 2/16/2021 by Alisa Hrustic, Jessica Migala
This article was medically reviewed by board-certified dermatologist Caroline Chang, M.D., a member of the Prevention Medical Review Board.
If there’s one thing you put on your face today, let it be a sunscreen. Dermatologists harp on this over and over because it’s one of the best ways (if not the best!) to protect your skin, regardless of your tone.
Of course, your first priority is to prevent a sunburn, which can raise your skin cancer risk. As a major bonus, sunscreen also keeps your skin looking young. A quality SPF can protect your skin from the harmful UV rays that cause premature aging and even help