HOW SHOULD YOUNG PEOPLE PROTECT THEIR SKIN?
Most sun safety recommendations are the same for people of all ages, Dr Shive said. And anyone can get sunburns and skin cancer, so the advice applies regardless of skin color, said Dr Meredithe McNamara, an assistant professor of paediatrics specialising in adolescent medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.
1. Seek out shade
If you’ll be in the sun for an extended period, DrRogers recommended an umbrella. Shade is most important between roughly 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is most intense, DrOrengo said.
2. Wear sun-protective clothing
Long sleeves and pants help protect your skin, especially if they’re made of materials with an ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF, rating, DrShive said. Wide-brimmed hats are a good idea, too.
3. Generously apply – and reapply – sunscreen
UV rays can damage skin even when it’s cloudy or chilly, so experts recommend wearing sunscreen every day. The ideal sunscreen is at least SPF 30 and is labelled “broad spectrum,” Dr Rogers said. This means it blocks both types of ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB.
Apply sunscreen every morning before leaving the house. If you’re outside, Dr Shive said you should reapply it every two hours, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming.
4. Check your skin
Primary care doctors or dermatologists can examine a patient’s skin during annual checkups, Dr McNamara said. But if you spot an unusual mole – one that’s asymmetrical, has an uneven border or unusual color, is larger than a quarter-inch or is changing rapidly – Dr Orengo suggested seeing a dermatologist right away.
5. Think of skin protectino as a retirement fund
Dr Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, a dermatologist at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, offered one Gen Z-specific tip: Approach sun protection like “an investment in your future health.” The more you shield your skin when you’re young, the better protected you’ll be against skin cancer, and against the wrinkles and spots that come from sun exposure later in life.
By Caroline Hopkins © The New York Times Company
The article originally appeared in The New York Times.