Summer Sun Safety

With summer in full swing, everyone's shedding layers and enjoying basking in the sun. But while absorbing some of the sun's rays will help your body produce Vitamin D, too much of the UVA and UVB rays can cause skin damage. Use these tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center to protect yourself this summer.

• Avoid sunburn and excessive tanning: It's a well-known fact that spending lots of time in the sun could lead to uncomfortable sunburns and skin cancer. Slather on a layer of SPF 15 or higher if you're going to be outside for a long time. Don't forget to cover places like the tops of your feet, your ears and even the part in your hair. Those areas are easy to forget about, but burn easily. If you play in the pool or ocean or work up a good sweat playing beach volleyball, make sure you re-apply to get added protection. And remember, you don't need to get a burn to be at risk for skin damage, premature wrinkles or skin cancer. Unprotected time in the sun or in tanning beds can be just as damaging to skin as a sunburn.

• Understand your Risk: Anyone can get skin cancer, but people with fair skin and eye color tend to be at higher risk than others. The National Cancer Institute provides a checklist of common risk factors. Check off the ones that apply to you to figure out what kind of extra precautions you should be taking to avoid skin cancer.

• Check the UV Index: The UV index lets you know just how strong the sun's rays are so you can protect yourself, either by wearing sunscreen or staying in the shade. Just enter your zip code to check the UV index in your area.

• Protect your eyes: The sun's rays can damage more than your skin. Excess exposure to the sun can lead to cataracts and other eye problems. Keep these at bay by wearing sunglasses that block UV rays. Just look for a label indicating the glasses block 99 to 100 percent of UV rays.

With these tips you can safely enjoy your time in the sun.