If you are like most people, you like to spend time outdoors, and if you are a Laborer, a lot of your work might be outdoors. You likely know that to protect against sunburns and skin cancer, you must use sunscreen. Even if you have darker skin and can spend long periods in the sun without burning, daily use of sunscreen is essential.

However, many people – especially young people – do not use sunscreen or do not apply it correctly.

Apply sunscreen the right way:

1. Fifteen to 30 minutes prior to going outdoors, apply sunscreen. This gives the product time to be absorbed into the skin. You need about a shot glass full of sunscreen to adequately cover all exposed parts of the body.
2. Ask a family member or a friend to apply sunscreen to your back and any other places you are not able to reach.
3. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your ears, face, hands, neck and feet.
4. Every two hours, reapply sunscreen. If you’re sweating or if humidity is high, reapply sunscreen sooner. If you have been in the water, reapply sunscreen as soon as you get out.
5. Use sunscreen daily regardless of weather. (That means cloudy days, rainy days and sunny days.) Sunscreen needs to be applied during winter months, too.

[Janet Lubman Rathner]