The ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause sunburns, aging, eye damage, and sin cancer.
The FDA encourages people to limit their time in the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., which is when the sun’s rays are most intense. They also suggest wearing clothing to cover your skin, like long-sleeve shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brim hats.
People who have pale skin, blonde, red, or light brown hair, been treated for skin cancer, or have a family with skin cancer, should be especially careful when spending time in the sun. You should also check with your doctor if you’re on any medication, because some medications increase sun sensitivity.
Choosing the right sunglasses
When sunlight bounces off sand, water, or even snow, it increases your exposure to UV radiation and increases your risk of developing eye problems.
According to the FDA, you should choose sunglasses that have a UV400 rating or “100% UV protection” on the label. Sunglasses that meet those standards block more than 99% of UVA and UVB radiation and give you the most protection against UV rays.
Just because a pair of sunglasses has a dark tint, that doesn’t mean it is protecting your eyes from UV rays. When you wear tinted glasses, your pupils dilate, and can increase exposure of your retinas to UV light. If your glasses don’t have UV protection, you’re putting yourself at risk. Many sunglasses with light-colored tints still offer as much UV protection as very dark lenses.
Children should wear sunglasses that have the UV protection noted. Toy sunglasses may not have UV protection. Consider buying large, wraparound-style frames, that could offer more protection for the child.
If you don’t know if your sunglasses offer UV protection, your eye doctor might be able to check for you. Just because the sunglasses were expensive, doesn’t mean they offer UV protection.
The FDA recommends wearing quality sunglasses, even if you wear UV absorbing contact lenses.
Choosing the right sunscreen
The National Cancer Institute estimates that there were 100,640 new cases of skin melanomas and 8,290 related deaths in 2024. Sunscreen, when used properly, can protect against skin cancer.
The FDA recommends only purchasing sunscreen that pass the FDA’s broad-spectrum requirements and are labeled “broad spectrum” and have an SPF of 15 or higher, even on cloudy days.
Any sunscreens that are not broad spectrum or are broad spectrum but lack an SPF of at least 15 are required to print the following warning: “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”
Manufacturers are not allowed to make claims that their sunscreens are “waterproof” or “sweat proof”. The label should tell you how much time to expect getting the SPF-level protection while swimming or sweating. The FDA recommends looking for 40 to 80 minutes.
Keep in mind that many spray sunscreen products contain ingredients that are flammable. Make sure you read and follow the label. Don’t spray them near an open flame.
When applying sunscreen, you should put it on all uncovered skin and pay special attention to your nose, ears, neck, hands, feet, and lips. Reapply every two hours, apply more often if you’re swimming or sweating. If you don’t have much hair, you should apply it to the top or your head or wear a hat.
Some sunscreens have been recalled because of benzene contamination. You can visit FDA.gov to find out if your sunscreen has been recalled.