Living in sunny California has its perks like getting to be outside all year round. I mean who would want to be stuck in a downpour rather than a nice sunny day? Not us!

With so much sun does come risk. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in the United States. Caused by UV radiation, UV light and overexposure to the sun, an uncontrollable amount of abnormal skin cells start to form resulting in skin cancer.

On the bright side, there are ways to still enjoy beautiful days without putting your skin at risk.

Avoid The Sun During Peak Hours

The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Even if it’s cloudy out, you still have the potential to get burned. If you are out in the sun during those hours, find some shade under a tree or pack an umbrella.

Wear Protective Clothing

If you can’t avoid the sun during its peak hours, you can still reduce your risk of getting burned or overexposed to the sun by simply wearing lightweight long sleeved t-shirts, pants, sunglasses, and big hats. We heard that wide brimmed hats are in again, too!

Wear Sunscreen. Correctly.

It takes only 15 minutes to get a sunburn. Lucky for us, it only takes 15 minutes to prevent one, too! Before you go outside, make sure you apply sunscreen to any part of your skin that you think will be exposed to the sun. You should put sunscreen on 15 minutes prior to going outside.

Out of the million options at the store, which sunscreen should you buy?

You should choose a sunscreen that meets this criteria:

• • At least SPF 15
  • Broad-Spectrum Protection— this means it will protect you against Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays

Sunscreen isn’t a “one and done” fix. You should reapply sunscreen every two hours. If you decide to take a dip in the pool or ocean, you should reapply after you get out and dry off, too.

We’re lucky to live in such a sunny, warm area with beautiful landscape. While we should all go out and enjoy the great outdoors, we should so while also taking care of our skin by avoiding the sun during its strongest hours, wearing protective clothing and wearing sunscreen correctly.