Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
How to Apply Sunscreen. Gone are the days when sun-worshippers lathered up with baby
oil. Although shunning the sun is your best protection, knowing how to apply sunscreen
is the next best way to prevent that leathery look of yore. You will need Sunscreen with
an SPF of 15 or higher and a friend. Step 1. Choose a sunscreen. It should have an SPF
of at least 15 and block UVA rays, which cause wrinkles and brown spots, and UVB rays, which
cause sunburn. Choose a sunscreen that’s formulated for your skin type—like fragrance-free
or PABA-free for sensitive skin—and suited to the activity you’re planning, like waterproof
or sweatproof formulas for swimming or exercising. Step 2. Check the product’s expiration date
to make sure it will still be effective. If the date has passed, or if you know you bought
the sunscreen over three years ago, you’re due for new bottle. Step 3. Check the clock:
You should apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before you enter the sun to give it time to
fully absorb. Step 4. Shake the sunscreen to mix it and squeeze some into your hand.
You should use about an ounce—or two tablespoons—to cover your whole body. Step 5. Generously
rub sunscreen on all the areas of your body that may be exposed to the sun, like your
feet, legs, torso, back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, and face. If you’re going to
wear a bathing suit, apply sunscreen while you’re naked to make sure you don’t miss
a spot. Step 6. Pay special attention to areas you might forget or miss, like near the edge
of a bathing suit, your lips, your ears, near your eyes, and your scalp or the part in your
hair. Step 7. For harder-to-reach areas, especially your back, ask a friend to apply the sunscreen
for you. Step 8. Reapply sunscreen all over after you’ve been in the sun for two hours—or
sooner if you’ve been swimming, sweating, or rubbing against a towel. Did you know In
the three decades from 1973 to 2003, the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, rose
by 81 percent.