Sun tips for men and women

Seek the shade.
Be aware, however, that sunlight bouncing off reflective surfaces can reach you even beneath an umbrella or a tree.

Never seek a tan.
There is no such thing as a healthy tan. A tan is the skin's response to the sun's damaging rays.
Stay away from tanning parlors and artificial tanning devices.
The UV radiation emitted by indoor tanning lamps is many times more intense than natural sunlight. Dangers include burns, premature aging of the skin, and the increased risk of skin cancer.

Protect your children and teach them sun safety at an early age.
Healthy habits are best learned young. Because skin damage occurs with each unprotected exposure and accumulates over the course of a lifetime, sun safety for children should be a priority.

Everyday sun basics

Cover up.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tightly woven fabrics and dark colors, such as deep blue and black, or bright colors, such as orange and red, offer more protection. If you can see light through a fabric, UV rays can get through too. Water makes fabrics more translucent, so do not rely on a wet T-shirt.
A broad-brimmed hat goes a long way toward preventing skin cancer in often-exposed areas like the neck, ears, scalp, and face. Opt for a 3-4 inch brim that extends all around the hat. Baseball caps and visors shade the face but leave neck, lower face, and ears exposed.
UV-blocking sunglasses with wraparound or large frames protect your eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes, common sites for skin cancer and sun-induced aging. Sunglasses also help reduce the risk of cataracts later in life.

They are called "tan-orexics" or obsessive tanners.
They are people who become addicted to the way they feel while getting that bronze glow.
NBC10 reported that people can become addicted to the tanning bed and can experience a "high" much like a drug addiction.

Some doctors have said it's a real problem and victims have said withdrawal is much like stopping heroin.
The addiction is not just because of the way they look with a tan, but they simply must tan a lot, despite being aware of the danger.

Tara Burtonis was stuck inside all day at work and her only sun exposure was fake. She spent 30 minutes, three times a week in a tanning bed.
"I was addicted to tanning," she said. "I think it physically makes me look better, but it's mostly for the feeling that it gives me."
A feeling that dermatologist Steven Feldman said people could get addicted to.
"Their skin looks terrible and it's wrinkled and I ask them why are they doing it? And they say things like, 'Oh, it just makes me feel so good,'" he said.
Feldman said people who are addicted experience a high much like drug addiction.
"The skin releases endorphins, feel good molecules, from skin cells when they're hit by ultraviolet light," he said.
When frequent tanners stop it's like taking their drugs away, Feldman said.
"
They get the shakes; they get sweaty," he said.
Burtonis felt withdrawal symptoms when she stopped tanning.
"I had nausea, vomiting, I felt jittery," she said.
It made her realize she no longer wanted to be tan -- she needed to tan.
"I definitely don’t feel as good," she said.

Unlike alcohol or drug addiction, tanning won't kill you, but it is the leading cause of melanoma, which kills 8,000 Americans each year.
Doctors said there is no easy cure for tanning addiction. The only thing tanners can do is spend more time in natural sunlight to feel better.
And use self-tanning lotions to safely get the look you want.

Every day sun protection tips

Sun-protection basics all year round to give your skin the best chance of long-term health:
Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher whenever you spend time outdoors.
This applies to all outdoor activities: athletics, shopping, picnicking, walking or jogging, gardening, even waiting for a bus.
Choose a sunscreen with ingredients that block both UVB and UVA rays.
Apply liberally and evenly to all exposed skin. The average adult in a bathing suit should use approximately one ounce of sunscreen per application. Not using enough will effectively reduce the product's SPF and the protection you get.
Be sure to cover often-missed spots: lips, ears, around eyes, neck, scalp if hair is thinning, hands, and feet.
Reapply at least every 2 hours, more often if some of the product may have been removed while swimming, sweating, or towel-drying.
Choose a product that suits your skin and your activity. Sunscreens are available in lotion, gel, spray, cream, and stick forms. Some are labeled as water resistant, sweatproof, or especially for sports; as fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, or especially for sensitive skin or children.

Every day counts!

You are probably in the habit of packing sunscreen for a day at the beach or pool. But the sun is up there 365 days a year, and you need protection much of that time to reduce your lifetime sun-exposure total. Everyday exposure counts; you do not have to be actively sunbathing to get a damaging dose of the sun. Practice sun-protection basics all year round to give your skin the best chance of long-term health.

Wow- surprising data!

Did you know that 15 minutes of exposure per day over the course of a month will lead to 8 hours of beach-like sun exposure? Whether you're walking to the car or sitting by a window, daily activities put your skin at risk. In fact, on average a person receives 18 hours of incidental sun exposure each week! Whether you're intentionally bathing in the sun or just going about your day, unprotected sun exposure results are the same-from sunburn, wrinkles and freckles to skin texture changes, dilated blood vessels, and sometimes even certain skin cancers.

One in five!

Did you know that incidental sun exposure from daily activities puts your skin at risk and may result in skin damage such as sunburn, wrinkles, freckles, skin texture changes, dilated blood vessels, and sometimes even certain skin cancers? In fact, skin cancer is one of the few cancers where the cause of the majority of cases—excessive sun exposure—is known.
At current rates, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year alone. However, practicing comprehensive sun protection can substantially lower skin cancer risk.