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How to avoid sunburn this summer

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Warmer, sunnier months are ahead, and everyone knows what it’s like to have a sunburn.

Indiana University Health Dermatologist Melanie Kingsley said people most often get sun burned in the first few weeks of spring and summer.

“They don’t have as much melanin production in their skin at this point, so when they get out in the sun the first few days, the first few rays that they do come under will be more sensitizing then later in the summer,” Kingsley said.

Regardless of how long you spend outside, she says you should protect your skin.

“Even if it’s just an hour or so, that sun is very intense on your fresh skin that’s been covered. So sun screen, sun protective clothing and then staying in some shade if you can,” she explained.

Zinc is an ingredient is some sunscreens and can be helpful for skin protection.

“The other thing I say look for is Zinc in your sunscreen, because that’s going to be a good block for the sun,” she said. “It actually inhibits the sun from penatrating the skin. It blocks off where the chemical sunscreens they actually absorb the sun and then break it down.”

Sunscreen stops working after about two hours, and should be reapplied.

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