The CDC’s advice for sunscreen and when to wear it, even in the fall

With fall right around the corner, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommend wearing sunscreen beyond summer.

Most skin cancers are caused by immense exposure to ultraviolet light, according to the CDC, and protecting your skin from these ultraviolet rays is important all year round, not only during the summer.

There are a few ways the CDC recommends protecting your skin from ultraviolet rays such as shade, covering skin with clothing and hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.

When should I wear sunscreen?

Not only can wearing sunscreen every day, no matter the season, help protect your skin from ultraviolet rays, but it also prevents skin damage such as wrinkles, skin thinning, pigmentation or cancer, according to the University of Washington Medicine.

But during certain times wearing sunscreen is extremely important. The risk of damage from ultraviolet rays increases during the summer months, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., near the equator and at high altitudes, according to the CDC.

But ultraviolet rays can even damage your skin on cloudy days or even in the snow. Ultraviolet rays that reflect from sand, snow and water can also damage your skin, according to the CDC.

Children six months and younger should not use sunscreen according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as the possible side effects can harm young children. Instead, the FDA recommends keeping your children in the shade and dressing them properly to limit the sun’s exposure to their skin.

What type of sunscreen should I wear?

Sunscreens are measured by their sun protection factor number, which rates how well they block ultraviolet rays. Broad spectrum sunscreens also block both ultraviolet A rays and ultraviolet B rays, making them more effective to protect you from the sun.

Sunscreens with an SPF of 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays, as an SPF 50 blocks about 98%, according to the University of Washington Medicine.

What number SPF should you use?

A broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher is recommended by the CDC. The CDC also warns that sunscreen should be used alongside other protective measures, such as limiting time in the sun and wearing covering clothing.

A broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that is water resistant or waterproof is recommended by the University of Washington Medicine.

The FDA tests sunscreens to make sure they are safe and effective and recommends regularly wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

How much sunscreen do I need to put on?

Sunscreen can effectively protect your skin from the sun’s rays, but only if it is used correctly.

Sunscreen users who are not applying enough sunscreen, apply or reapply sunscreen too late or use sunscreen without other safe sun protection measures are likely to experience sunburns and possibly more dangerous effects, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends a shot glass of sunscreen to cover your whole body and about half a teaspoon for your face and applying sunscreen at least 20 minutes before exposure to the sun so it can be absorbed fully.

Sunscreen also expires, so the CDC recommends throwing away sunscreens every one to two years to assure you’re using sunscreen that really works.

If you are also wearing bug repellent, apply sunscreen first and then apply the repellent. The CDC warns that while using both on your skin, you may need to reapply sunscreen more often.

How often do I need to reapply sunscreen?

Sunscreen can easily rub off from sweating, swimming or rubbing against clothes or towels.

Sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours according to the CDC, and immediately after swimming, sweating or drying off with a towel.