Summer sunscreens and your health; what your doctor wants you to know.

We are well into the summer months and sunscreens are part of the ritual. Which one should you buy for the best coverage and what should you avoid.

The American Medical Association offers some suggestions for summer skin safety, proper SPF, and sunscreen application methods.

They recommend SPF 30 or higher, avoiding the sunniest parts of the day, and how to properly apply sunscreen throughout the day to avoid sunburn and longstanding skin damage.

Check out their recommendations below

Too much sun exposure can have damaging effects on the skin but following proper precautions can help. Two physicians offer tips to stay safe in the summer sun.

By Sara Berg July 14, 2021

After a year of physical distancing and staying home to slow the spread of COVID-19, many people are eager to resume normal summer activities. As people flock to beaches and participate in other outdoor activities, it is important to take care of your skin because too much sun exposure can have detrimental effects such as sunburn, skin aging, eye damage and skin cancer.

To help, two AMA members took time to discuss what patients should know about summer skin safety. They are:

• Alexa B. Kimball, MD, a dermatologist, and CEO and president of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
• William L. Waller III, MD, a dermatologist at Hattiesburg Clinic Dermatology—South. Hattiesburg Clinic is a member of the AMA Health System Program.

Here are some summer skin safety tips they had to offer.