Well, summer is here and needless to say the sun is out and people are gonna get burnt.  Most of the sunburns I see in my practice are actually in the early parts of the summer. People are so excited to get outside and get a bit of color ignoring that their skin is winter pale and not prepared for the exposure.  Avoiding appropriate sun protection exacerbates the problem.  Unlike many Dermatologists, I am not totally anti-sun.  I love the beach and look forward to summer as much as anyone. BUT….i do not sundial myself on a chaise trying to evenly bake myself all day long.  Light exposure certainly has health and mood related benefits. I enjoy outdoor activities with sun protection on and generally avoid sitting in direct sunlight during peak sun hours of 11:30 – 230. Sitting in the shade with a book or taking a long lunch is usually a lot more comfortable than sweating in the heat anyway.  The problem is that people do not know how to control and limit their exposure. Certainly there are more high-risk people than others. Certain ethnicities and skin types can certainly tolerate sun exposure better. Anyone with a personal or family history of skin cancer or individuals who spend significant amount of time outdoors should certainly be judicious in protecting themselves as well.  Now unfortunately, most patients who are burnt or just way too dark cry over how they put on 30, 50 60 +  sunscreen and they don’t understand how they got that way. Well, the fact of the matter is most people do not use sunscreen appropriately. Sunscreen should be applied 20-30 min before sun exposure ( not an hr into the beach experience and just before u take your first dip). In addition, no sunscreen is truly water resistant. Always reapply after a significant dip. Use a significant amount. This is not a product to apply stingily. And finally, don’t be fooled that any number spf is goin to protect you all day. Unfortunately, the spf rating between products are not always relative and are generally not as protective as people assume. Be smart and apply any sunscreen every couple hours if your outside all day. In general, I prefer sunblocks with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Fortunately, these ingredients now come in more cosmetically elegant formulations that are micronized so it doesn’t feel like rubbing white paste on oneself. So….the general gist of this diatribe is….enjoy yourself, be smart, expose in moderation, use appropriate protection, and take the most precautions with your children and those with significant susceptibility to skin cancer.  Happy Summer!