Updated January 31, 2012

During which months do I need to take sun safety precautions?

The sun’s radiation is strongest during the summer months. However, you should protect yourself from early spring right through to the fall. People often get sunburns in late April and May; because the weather is cool, they don’t think the sun is strong enough to burn.

How does the sun cause skin cancer?

The sun’s rays go into the skin and harm the DNA within the cells of the skin. The body naturally works to repair the damage, but it may not be able to fix everything. This can result in uncontrolled cell growth, leading to the development of skin cancer. Sunburns and suntans result from sun exposure and both are signs of skin damage. Repeated sun exposure over the years may result in changes such as wrinkles, mottling of skin colour, and skin cancer. Because these changes happen over time, it is important to take action now to prevent problems in the future.

Why do I need to wear a hat in the sun?

Two of the three most common skin cancers appear on the face, head, and neck. Almost all of these tumours are caused by sun exposure over a long period of time. Protect these areas, including the ears, by wearing a broad-brimmed (more than 8 cm or 3 inches) or legionnaire-style hat with a back flap.

I don’t need to protect myself from the sun on a cloudy day in spring or summer.

MYTH. Yes, you need sun protection because up to 90% of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation passes through light cloud cover.

A tan protects my skin from the sun.

MYTH. A tan does not really provide much protection from the sun and is only equal to a sun protection factor (SPF or protection against sunburn) of between 2 and 4.