Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Clear Your Cache

Health.mil has undergone a recent update. For the best user experience we recommend clearing your browser cache.

Think Sunscreen and Water for Summer Sun Safety

Image of SPF written in sunblock on someone's arm. The 673rd Medical Operations Squadron Dermatology Clinic at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, offers these tips to prevent the onset of skin cancer such as generously applying sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher, wearing protective clothing, seeking shade when the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and monitoring any changes in your body (Photo by: Air Force Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera).

Sun safety should be an everyday concern regardless of the season. Your most potent safety protections against the sun are dollops of UVA/UVB sunscreen, lots of water, and knowing your own physical limitations.

UVA and UVB rays are the most common types of ultraviolet rays the sun produces. According to the Food and Drug Administration, UVA rays have longer wave lengths and can penetrate the middle layer of your skin (dermis), while UVB rays have shorter wave lengths that reach the outer layer of your skin (the epidermis).

Both UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to your skin. Sunburn is a sign of short-term overexposure, while premature aging and skin cancer are side effects of prolonged UV exposure.

"Sun safety doesn't need to be complicated; it just needs to be consistent," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Nathan Zundel, department head of Emergency Medicine at Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command Twentynine Palms, California. "Parents especially can help children develop a regular habit of UV protection so that, like seatbelts, it becomes second nature as they get older."

Below are some recommendations to be safe in the sun:

  1. Always wear sunscreen outside and reapply frequently, especially to highly sensitive areas such as your ears, nose, neck and chest, and your scalp. Don't forget the back of your neck, your hands and the tops of your feet.
  2. Use the highest level SPF sunscreen you can find (at least SPF 30).
  3. UVA/UVB blocker ingredients such as zinc oxide are good to look for on your sunscreen's label.
  4. Sunscreen takes a while to absorb and activate, so apply at least 15 minutes before you go outside.
  5. Wear sunscreen every day. The effects of sun exposure are cumulative and can cause skin cancer.
  6. For your children, try applying a sunscreen that you can see, such as purple ones that change to clear as they dry. That way, you’ll get every spot.
  7. Hats and sunglasses are a good idea each time you go outside.
  8. Try to stay out of the sun when it is at its height, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  9. Know your own limits when it comes to activity.
  10. Watch for signs of heat strain and heat stroke. These include:

a. Painful muscle spasms usually in the legs or abdomen
b. No sweating
c. Goosebumps
d. Headache
e. Clamminess, pale skin
f. Dizziness or disorientation

11. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated, so drink plenty of water at constant rates.

You also may be interested in...

Topic
Feb 25, 2025

Public Health

Public Health supports the move from a health care system to a system of health by focusing on the prevention of disease, disability, and death in garrison and while deployed.

Article
Jan 15, 2025

U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine is Updating Guidance on Cold-Weather Injuries

A service member is exposed to cold air in environmental test chamber after undergoing a treatment called ischemic preconditioning

As efforts in the Arctic region continues to accelerate, senior leaders need to be confident that warfighters under their command will be able to operate at peak effectiveness for long periods in extreme cold. That’s why experts in nutrition, physical performance, and extreme environments from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine ...

Article
Jan 14, 2025

U.S. Army Provides Soldiers, Families Variety of Mind, Body Resources

Chaplains and religious affairs specialists provide various types of counseling and training

As the new year begins, soldiers, their families and U.S. Army civilians have a variety of tools and programs available to support their overall well-being. From holistic health and fitness initiatives to spiritual readiness resources, free counseling, sleep assistance, and family support programs, the U.S. Army is committed to fostering resilience ...

Article
Jan 7, 2025

January is National Radon Action Month: Learn to Manage Risk

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as National Radon Action Month

The Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as National Radon Action Month, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has chosen the last week of January as Radon Awareness Week. This is the perfect time to think about testing your home for radon.

Article
Dec 27, 2024

Frozen on the Slopes: How a Soldier Learned from a Close Call

Graphic of someone on skis falling in the snow

Several years ago, I was stationed in Colorado. I’d never snow skied, but after my first initiation-by-fire trip, I was feeling comfortable and actually considered myself a somewhat fearless skier. I would go hard and fast until I hit something or just fell. Ski equipment would scatter from where I fell to where I slid to a stop—meaning I spent a lot ...

Video
Dec 9, 2024

Warrior Care: A Marine Finds Community with Art

Warrior Care: A Marine Finds Community with Art

Lance Cpl Sara Vanegas is a Marine with the Wounded Warriors Batallion East at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. She is a talented artist who is finding community through her art and the Warrior Care Program. Learn more about the many resources and programs available at health.mil/warriorcare.

Article
Dec 2, 2024

Military Health Expert Explains how Strength is Relative to Body Weight

People working out outside

Each military service selects its physical fitness tests to meet its unique mission needs. All services’ fitness tests include measures of aerobic fitness, such as a timed run, and muscular health, such as the push-up. Depending on the service, the fitness test can include sprinting, carrying weighted items, or deadlifts.

Article
Sep 23, 2024

Military Infectious Diseases Research Program Focuses on Mitigating Disease Impacts in Large Scale Combat Operations

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Pascual, a preventive medicine specialist with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, processes samples for respiratory virus testing at Nimmarnkolayut Camp, Sa Kaeo, Thailand.

Prolonged care, degraded medical evacuation capability, and overstretched lines of communication during large-scale combat operations could increase the prevalence of disease-related injury and death among warfighters. These risks are what the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command's Military Infectious Diseases Research Program is working ...

Article
Sep 19, 2024

Military Health Expert Clarifies ‘No Pain No Gain’ Workout Myths

Military Health Expert Clarifies ‘No Pain No Gain’ Workout Myths

Injuries are the leading reason for military medical visits each year. Department of Defense active duty service members require medical treatment for injuries almost 5 million times each year (for around 1.5 million individual injuries). Injuries cost millions of lost duty and training days, and billions of dollars each year.

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery