Come summers or winters and people will leave for their vacations to be spent at a ski resort, camping or at a beach. This is the time when they will get maximum exposure to the sun and if they don’t use a sunscreen their chances of getting sun burnt is quite high. Using sunscreens when exposed to long periods of sunlight is quite common among the white races as they are more susceptible to sun burns. The American cancer society recommends use of sunscreens as it has been proved that over exposure to sun light can cause cancer.

Sunscreens are applied on that part of the body which is going to be exposed to sunlight and a good sun screen protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultra violet rays. Sunscreens can have one or more UV filters in them and there are three types of UV filters that maybe used in making a sunscreen. These can be categorized as organic ingredients, organic chemicals and inorganic particulates. The main choice that buyers of sunscreen lotions and creams look at is the SPF factor and the higher this factor is the more protection against harmful sunrays it offers. However there are other factors that must also been taken into account? The person's skin type, age and how frequently is the exposure and application of the sunscreen. Titanium dioxide sunscreen and zinc dioxide used in a sunscreen are said to offer the maximum protection against UV and now there use is being promoted by makers of sunscreens, so when choosing a sunscreen one should see if the ingredients contained in the sunscreen have a high SPF 15+ factor and zinc or titanium dioxide in them.

Dermatologists advise that one should put on the sunscreen before venturing out in the sun and young children and infants also should be covered with sunscreen. Sunscreen should also be reapplied after continuous exposure of 4 hours to sunlight and one should not forget to apply it behind the ears, and the knees. If one has been sweating excessively or swimming then one should apply the sunscreen again. If one sees any change in their skin or a new mole appearing they must show it to their doctor. Improper use of sunscreens or carelessness in its use can lead to serious skin problems. Sunscreens should also be used on cloudy days. Other then sunscreens one must also wear the proper clothing to get maximum protection against the sun and its harmful rays.

Sunscreens were invented as far back as 1938 and it has come a long way from the red sticky stuff that was made as a sunscreen and used by soldiers and airmen during World War II, as today's sunscreens are sweat and waterproof also and not a red sticky mess. There are a number of sunscreen ingredients and all sunscreens use a combination of these in their products. One can also get all natural titanium dioxide sunscreens which are supposed to offer the best protection nowadays. One should try not to over tan themselves as this can also be dangerous. The biggest risk to sun exposure is getting skin cancer and this is on the rise especially in America. It is not only in summers but exposure to sunlight in winters can also damage the skin and proper sun protection is required during winter vacations also. The suns rays don’t reduce in their UVF rays in winters, so protection in winters is also required.

Today there are labeling restrictions and sunscreen makers are required to list their ingredients and for how long they can be applied. So to be safe from the harsh UV rays of the sun if one is planning on spending time outdoors make sure to use a good sunscreen as protecting the skin is very important. Finding a suitable sunscreen for different skin types is not an issue.