Protecting senior skin from the summer sun

Carry sunscreen everywhere you go, and reapply it often

 

While many Americans have jumped on the sunscreen bandwagon, it's important to review the steps for truly protecting your skin. There's more to it than squeezing a dollop of sunscreen out of the tube and rubbing it on your face before going out to play nine holes of golf or watch a ball game.

 

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends applying sunscreen liberally to all exposed skin 30 minutes before going outside—so it has time to soak in—and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

senior woman gardening with carrots in her hand

Finding ways to keep sunscreen at hand

Marketers have made it easy for us to stay covered with their products by packaging them in convenient travel-size containers. Experiment with a couple of different brands or types of sunscreen to determine which one best suits your skin type. Buy a few small tubes so you can keep one in the car, another in your golf or gym bag and one at home.

 

Remember to put sunscreen on the places you can't see, but where the sun can reach. There are clear, spray-on products that work great for scalp protection. You may not have had a bald spot 20 years ago, but chances are you do now. Protect it with sunscreen.

 

Source: http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/prevention-guidelines