I blew it today. After all, I should know better - I wrote a book about skin care. Nevertheless, today I mixed sunshine and water and didn't reapply sunscreen often enough. Now I'm lathering aloe (the best cure for sunburn) on my shoulders and upper back and wishing I'd done a better job of practicing what I preach.

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. When we do, too few of us buy the right kind of protection which is why, despite our knowledge of the dangers of too much sun, many of us will be told, "This is skin cancer," before we die.

Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the U.S. Unprotected skin can be harmed by UVA and UVB 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. They also remind us to look at the label. Your sunscreen should provide protection for UVA and UVB rays. If the product doesn't list protection for both, don't buy it because both cause serious sunburn. Last but not least, when it comes to cost, expensive products aren't necessarily better. Regardless, don't skimp. Your body is at stake!!!