Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Air Force Times

5 bright ideas to save your skin

Shaping up your sun protection takes planning and practice. Here are a few ways to protect your body’s armor.

1. Make sunscreen a daily routine

• For a normal workday (working indoors): SPF 15 on the ears, face and backs of the hands — the most common areas for skin cancer.

• When outdoors: Apply water- and sweat-resistant SPF 30 to all exposed areas, reapplied every 45-60 minutes.

• For extended exposure on the face: An SPF 30 sunscreen that blocks a wide spectrum of rays, such as products with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (like Zinka).

• For travel close to the equator: SPF 45 to all exposed areas.

• Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

2. Avoid midday sun: If you can, find shade during peak UV hours, from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’re unsure of the sun’s intensity, take the shadow test: If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

3. Avoid tanning beds: Tanning beds emit ultraviolet light, which causes skin cancer. Try a sunless tanner instead. Self-tanning products are now available in several shades — including some that gradually darken — and modes of application.

4. Consider the SPF of clothing: If you can see light through a fabric, UV rays can get through it too. A typical lightweight T-shirt usually provides less protection than an SPF 15 sunscreen. Dark colors, tightly woven and dry fabrics are generally the most protective.

5. Use your head: There’s a reason the military issues wide-brim hats. When you’re outdoors and not in uniform, wear a hat with at least a 2- to 3-inch brim on all sides. A baseball cap can protect the forehead and top of the head, but not the ears and back of the neck, where skin cancers often occur.

Sources: American Cancer Society, American Academy of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati.