RULE #6- CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR MUST PROTECT THEIR SKIN FROM THE SUN.

According to the American Cancer Society, it takes just one serious, blistering sunburn before the age of eighteen to double a child's risk of eventually getting skin cancer. Keep babies under six months old out of the sun completely. Overexposure to the sun can depress the immune system. Teach children to stay out of the sun when their shadow is shorter than they are. Peak times for solar radiation are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Children should wear sunscreen on overcast days as well. Don't be fooled, overcast and cloudy days may be cooler, but the clouds don't provide shade from ultraviolet rays. A full 80% of UV rays still penetrate on cloudy days. Because children spend so much time outdoors, they need to know how to play "safe in the sun" by wearing proper clothing and using high quality sunscreen regularly.

RULE #7- WEAR A BRIMMED HAT, UV-BLOCKING SUNGLASSES, AND LIP BALM.

Your eyes need protection as much as your skin does. Because the rays that damage your skin also can damage your eyes, wear sunglasses that block more than 99% of the UV-B and UV-A radiation. Lips need protection too!

RULE #8- AVOID SUNBURN LIKE THE PLAGUE.

Ditto for sunlamps and tanning parlors. More cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually than all other cancers combined. According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of skin cancer among adults has more than tripled since 1980, when one out of every 280 adults was diagnosed with some form of skin cancer. In 2003, that ratio rose to one in every 39 adults. In fact, almost all of the more than 600,000 cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year are attributed to overexposure to the sun.

RULE #9- EXAMINE YOUR SKIN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

Any mole that changes shape/color/size, any sore that doesn't heal, or any persistent patch of irritated skin or small growth may be a sign of cancer and needs to be professionally evaluated. The more time you spend in the sun over your lifetime, without adequate sunscreen protection, the greater your risk of developing skin cancer.

RULE #10- SUNBURN BLISTERS ARE SECOND DEGREE BURNS- SEE A DOCTOR.

Remember that sunburns can look mild at first, but over a period of time, they can progress to the blister stage. Keep in mind that solar radiation is stronger the closer you get to the equator and the higher in altitude you go. Everyone loves to be outside on a beautiful summer day, especially children. But while we're out there, basking in the glow of a warm sun, we could be doing irreparable harm to our skin.

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