It's August-the hottest month of summer for most of us, and not too late for an important reminder: Use sunscreen!!

Although few people would deny there are dangers in excessive UV exposure to the sun, only about a third of us take measures to protect our skin from voluntary exposure to it's damaging rays. I shudder when I think of the hours I spent, earlier in life, with an aluminum foil based screen positioned to reflect these most intense rays directly on my face so I would "look health." It's a miracle I don't have more problems than the few benign lesions a skilled surgeon has removed.

Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the U.S. Unprotected skin can be harmed by UV rays in as little as 15 minutes though it can take up to 12 hours for skin to show the full effect of sun exposure. And, serious sunburns, especially those that occur during childhood and adolescence, can increase the chances of developing the more serious form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, later in life.

An SPF of 30 provides great protection from harmful UV rays and a higher rated product is no better. But here's the rub, so to speak. Sunscreen users often apply only 50% of the recommended amount, so they receive only 50% of the SPF protection the product offers. In other words, if you apply just a small amount of an SPF 30 sunscreen, you'll only get the protection of an SPF 15.

To get the best shield from the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends you use at least an ounce each time you apply sunscreen. When it comes to cost, they add that expensive products aren't necessarily better. Regardless, don't skimp. Your body is at stake!!!