Long summer days of fun in the sun are just around the corner. To help you get ready for all your favorite outdoor activities, we have a few tips to help you and your family stay safe in the sun.

Infants: Children under six months should be kept out of the sun entirely. Due to thinner skin that has underdeveloped melanin, they can burn faster. They also have an increased chance of side effects from sunscreen. Instead, baby should be kept in the shade, covered with long clothing, a hat and UV-protected sunglasses.

Children: Most kids get up to 50-80 percent of their sun exposure before age 18! Help them start good sun habits early. Use sunscreen that protects against both UVA (ultraviolet-a) and UVB (ultraviolet-b) sun rays and has an SFP (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher.

Teenagers: Tanning may be appealing to your teenager, but leathery, wrinkled, spotted or even cancerous skin won’t be. Teach your teens about skin safety, like wearing sunscreen, and set a good example yourself.

Adults: Just because you are grown doesn’t make skin protection any less vital, particularly for those with fair skin, freckles or moles. Be sure to slather on sunscreen for any outdoor activity, whether it be the kids’ soccer game, gardening, mowing the lawn or playing a round of golf. As a general rule, the fairer your skin, the higher the SPF you need.

Older adults: Because older adults don’t tend to be in the sun as often, they are more at risk for vitamin D deficiency than sunburn. To help prevent this problem, elderly people should talk to their doctors about supplements and dietary adjustments that can increase vitamin D.

Taking time to protect against the sun as a matter of routine is extremely important. Malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, was found to affect only 1 in 500,000 in the 1940s and ’50s. Today the incidence is 1 in 62. Sunburns—their frequency and severity—correlate closely with the risk of developing melanoma.

For a referral to a dermatologist affiliated with Doctors Medical Center who can schedule regular check-ups, please call (888) 284-6641.