With the weather turning nice and rainy days turning into sunny days, it’s important to be aware of the usage of sunscreen. Whether it’s kids outside for recess, high schooler’s practices after school or family yard work on the weekends, the sun is always beating down constantly.

The use of sunscreen plays a major role in reducing sunburns, but also decreases aging and wrinkles. Yet, many people know little about the importance of using it. A moderate 5-6 UV light can develop a sunburn within just 30 minutes of being exposed in sunlight and a high UV 8-9 can develop a sunburn within 15-20 minutes.

A sunburn is something everyone should want to stay away from. Getting one just every two years triples your risk of melanoma skin cancer. A sunburn doesn’t have to produce raw and dry skin that peels or blisters. Skin that becomes pink or contains a light coloration of red pigment has been sunburnt.

Junior, Grant Sexson, said, “I do a poor job of wearing sunscreen but being aware of the outcomes that sunburns can lead to later in life, really encourages me to wear it as much as I can. I don’t think high schoolers realize how much sun they get throughout the day, especially with outside sport practices.”

So how long is our sunscreen good for?

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a measurement of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent damage from UVB rays. No sunscreen, no matter what the SPF, is good after two hours of application. Whatever SPF is being used, multiplied by 10, is the recommended minutes to go before reapplication. For example, SPF of 15 would be good for 150 minutes, (10 x 15).

Sophomore, Mallory Lafever, said, “Since my skin is susceptible to burn, I try to apply sunscreen as often as I can. If I forget sunscreen even on a moderate cloudy summer day, I still burn fairly easy.”

No matter what season it is, sunscreen can always be put to good use when applicated. With the increasing number of skin cancer cases, it’s necessary for people to protect their skin.

Senior, McClain Acri, said, “Don’t forget to choose uv protection over a nice tan this summer or you’ll regret it in the long run!”