-
Step 1
Avoid sunlight between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. This is when the sun is the brightest and most dangerous. If you do not have to be outside, stay inside. If you must go outside, stay in the shade. Use the shadow rule: If your shadow is smaller than you the sun is still too strong. Wait until your shadow is larger than you to be in the sun.
-
Step 2
Use sunblock every single day. Put it on in the morning or before going outside. If you will be outside for more than a couple of hours, make sure you reapply sunblock every two hours. Use a sunblock of at least 15 SPF or higher. Wear it at night, when it is rainy and when it is winter. Wear sunblock every day, no matter what. Don't forget to add sunblock to your ears, too.
-
Step 3
Protect your skin and your eyes. Use a lip balm that has an SPF in it to protect your lips from the sun, because you can get skin cancer on your lips, too. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, 100 percent UV absorption protected sunglasses and SPF clothing or clothing that is not see through when held up to light.
-
Step 4
Avoid sunbathing and tanning beds. A tan is nothing more than a light sunburn and the more sunburns you get, the more likely you are to get skin cancer.
-
Step 5
See your family doctor or a dermatologist once a year to have your skin checked for any unusual moles or discolorations. You can have your family doctor check your skin (all of it) at your yearly physical or ask for a referral to a dermatologist to have him check your skin thoroughly. It would be best to see a dermatologist once a year because he will know what to look for more easily than a family doctor.
