You’ll be able to’t simply slather your self with sunscreen within the morning, head out for an extended day on the seaside and count on to return residence sunburn-free. Should you do take this strategy, you may in all probability find yourself with pores and skin that is painfully roasted — to not point out the intense circumstances, like pores and skin most cancers, you may have put your self in danger for. Avoiding these dangers, nonetheless, is simple. All it’s a must to do is listen and reapply your sunscreen all through the day. The problem is in realizing how typically to do it.

There are literally fairly a couple of elements it’s essential to take into accounts when planning your sunscreen protection, together with the sunscreen’s solar safety issue (SPF), the time of day you may be out within the solar and the sort of exercise you might have deliberate. SPF numbers specifically — which you’ll’t miss on the entrance of sunscreen bottles — will help present a fundamental estimate for the way typically it is best to reapply your sunscreen. Here is the way it works: If you’re utilizing a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, and it often takes you quarter-hour to get a sunburn, all it’s a must to do is multiply the 2 numbers collectively to determine about how lengthy your sunscreen ought to final [source: WebMD]. On this case, it might be 225 minutes, or 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Whereas that appears straightforward sufficient, the components would not essentially maintain true once you’re coping with SPF numbers which can be greater than 30. And, sadly, there are quite a few different elements — together with humidity, sweating and call with water — that may change that quantity by reducing the general effectiveness of sunscreen [source: Mayo Clinic]. So if you happen to’re planning on going swimming or doing every other type of strenuous exercise, you may must reapply typically to your sunblock to be of a lot use.

One other factor that influences the ability of sunscreen once you’re outdoors is the time of day. Between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., UV rays are stronger, even on cloudy days. Most specialists advocate you attempt to keep away from the outside all collectively throughout these instances. However if you happen to completely have to be outdoors, reapply your sunscreen as typically as you may — each couple of hours, and even each hour, if doable [source: Mayo Clinic].

Learn on to get heaps extra info on sunscreen and why it is so essential to guard your self once you’re outside.