The Truth About Sunscreen

Are you and your kids using sunscreen for the wrong reason?

According to a recent research review, people often use sunscreen to max out their time spent in the sun. That usually means too much exposure, especially for young kids. Playing smarter in the sun is taking the American Cancer Society's mantra "Slip-Slop-Slap" to heart and then adding "Skip" to it. So slip on a shirt, slop on SPF 30 sunscreen, slap on a hat, and skip outdoor play during peak hours.

Chances are you've suffered a painful sunburn with blistering and peeling at some point in your life. You know, the kind where you can't sleep and it hurts to move. The best way to help your kids avoid this intense discomfort is by limiting their direct exposure to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the UV rays are the most intense. Doing so also greatly reduces their risk of skin cancer as adults -- particularly melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Multiple studies have linked blistering sunburns in childhood to melanoma later in life.