Prevention / Sunscreen Guidelines

Use sunscreen whenever you or your child will be outdoors or driving in a car.

• Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before going outside.
• Remember lips, hands, ears, feet, shoulders and behind the neck too.
• Use 2 oz. of sunscreen per application.
• Reapply sunscreen often every two to three hours
• Reapply sunscreen if you have been sweating or swimming.
• Use waterproof sunscreen when swimming. 

About Sunscreen Products

What You Should Look For:

• SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 30 or more
• Broad Spectrum UVA & UVB protection
• Contains either zinc oxide or titanium oxide
• Expiration Date
• Meets FDA guidelines
• Optional – AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) seal of approval

What to Avoid Buying:

• Products marked “suntan” or “tanning” lotion (these do not provide protection)
• PABA ingredients (problems with allergic dermatitis and photo sensitivity)
• Powders or Sprays (concern about inhalation)
• Products that combine bug spray with sunscreen (possible skin absorption of pesticide)

Water, sand, snow and other reflective surfaces make the sun's rays even stronger. To spread the prevention message, The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation has handed out free sunscreen at numerous events including: the annual Chesapeake Bay Bridge walk, the Maryland Seafood Festival , the Strahle Invitational Regional Swim meet, Virginia and Maryland Triathlons, Maryland Park and Recreation Employees, Volunteer Fire Departments, High Schools and our troops serving in IRAQ.

Thanks to our Sunscreen sponsors:

• Neutrogena;
• Schering-Plough (Coppertone);
• Cutix, Inc. (Pre Sun); and,
• Del-Ray Demologicals (Blue Lizard).