How much do you know about protecting your skin? How often should you apply it? How much should you use to cover your whole body? What kind of rays does sunscreen protect against? UVA? UVB? Both? If these questions have left you scratching your head, check out this quiz from Fitsugar.

Here are some quick sunscreen facts:

• When you don't use enough sunscreen, the sunscreen you did apply is not nearly as effective.
  
• UVA Rays can pass through windows and contribute to aging of the skin. UVB rays cannot pass through windows and can cause skin cancer.
• SPF 15 blocks out 93% of harmful rays. Impressive, huh?

A new website assesses the effectiveness and safety of almost 800 sunscreens. The suncreen screening site was put together by the Environmental Working Group and gives detailed information about many sunscreen products. It also groups them by the types of harmful rays they're meant to protect against.

SPF numbers on sunscreens only cover UVB, the type of rays most responsible for burns. UVA is far less responsible for burning, but still can raise skin cancer risk. Only one sunscreen in five has effective UVA protection. There are ingredients that protect well against UVA, but sunlight can break down and make them ineffective if they are not formulated well.

Watch out for the commonly misleading claims -- all day protection, waterproof or chemical free products. You can check the website for sunscreens that are recommended and ones to be avoided.

That's Fit blogger Jonathon Morgan wrote on May 25 about five sunscreen myths. In the spirit of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, it seems appropriate to mention this thought-provoking news here on this site.

I just heard a radio commercial about a certain sunscreen, claiming the product is so good consumers need only apply the lotion one time during an eight-hour time frame. It seems, according to the following list of myths, this is not exactly true.

Myth #1: Sunscreens protect all day.
Fact: Regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every two hours because active ingredients in most products break down when exposed to the sun.

A new study shows men are three times more likely to develop certain types of skin cancer than women. But it doesn't have as much to do with sun exposure as we might think.

According to researchers at Ohio State University, gender differences put men at greater risk for non-melanoma skin cancers than their female counterparts.

Researchers tested the effects of UVB rays on mice and found male mice developed tumors earlier. The tumors were also larger and more aggressive than those found in female mice.

The study, published in the April 1 issue of Cancer Research, indicates it could be the higher levels of antioxidants females have in their skin that allow them to fight off tumors better.

A type of brown marine seaweed contains brown algae called poly-phenols (BAPs), that might protect against skin cancers caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. UVB radiation in sunlight is thought to be responsible for most cases of non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed in the United States.

Research has shown that BAPs are strong antioxidants and have many anti-cancer properties. The animals that were fed the brown algae in their diet had a reduction of skin tumors up to sixty percent.

The study was led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. "These compounds seemed to be dramatically effective at fairly low doses both orally and topically" says principal investigator Gary D Stoner.

In two large studies, vitamin D have been found to have a significant effect in reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer. According to Northwestern University researchers, their study is one of the first known studies to use a large-scale epidemiological survey to examine the relationship between vitamin D supplements and cancer of the pancreas.

Previous research and researchers have gone so far as to state that exposure to solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, which causes the body to manufacture vitamin D, might reduce the risk of 16 types of cancer. "Enhancing vitamin D status appears to be the single most important simple thing people can do to reduce their risk of cancer, apart from avoiding tobacco and moderation in the intake of alcohol."

Because of concern regarding prolonged exposure to the sun and skin cancer risks, and for those living in northern climates, it seems reasonable to conclude that perhaps the sensible alternative is a daily vitamin D supplement. However, if you are a cancer patient undergoing treatment, you should check with your physician before embarking on any supplement program.

Between pale is the new tan and cultural or religious beliefs that require young girls to wear clothing that covers all skin areas and young girls who are restricted from outdoor activities, adolescent girls are paying the price in insufficient levels of vitamin D needed for peak bone mass -- increasing the risk of osteoporosis fracture later in life. By shunning the sun they might be decreasing the risks for skin cancer, but they are increasing the risks for 16 other cancers.

Of the 51 healthy girls tested, Saint Mary's Hospital for Women and Children in Manchester researchers found 73 percent were vitamin D deficient, and 17 percent were severely deficient in vitamin D.

Lack of a sufficient level of vitamin D was in direct correlation to the lack of exposure to sun and not to dietary intake. "This is in keeping with the fact that the main source of vitamin D is that produced by the action of solar ultraviolet B radiation acting on 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin," the team explains. "Only small amounts are obtained from dietary sources."

Aside from encouraging more outdoor activity for these young girls, the researchers stated that it remains to be determined how to meet the needs of older children and adolescents from cultures that avoid sunlight.

When it comes to reducing sun exposure cancer risks, the information all gets a little confusing and seemingly contradictory in nature. We are told repeatedly to stay out of the sun, as this is the single greatest risk to the development of skin cancer. Campaigns are launched all summer long about the benefit of shade, of avoiding the sun, and the media makes headlines out of it in an attempt to raise awareness.

So if we are all doing what we are supposed to in reducing skin cancer risks by avoiding the sun, what do we make of the new study supporting University of California research that solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation reduces the risk of 16 types of cancer? UVB rays are what promotes the body's manufacture of the essential vitamin D that acts as a prevention to cancer risk.

According to study authors Cedric Garland and William Grant, "Enhancing vitamin D status appears to be the single most important simple thing people can do to reduce their risk of cancer, apart from avoiding tobacco and moderation in the intake of alcohol."

It might be a matter of practical common sense that moderation is the key. In the summer, researchers estimate it only takes 20 minutes of skin exposure to the sun to achieve the optimum levels of vitamin D derived from UVB rays. For darker skin, it can require over an hour to reach the same benefit. After that amount of time, it has no additional benefit. In addition, vitamin D supplements can supply a person's daily need for vitamin D.

So shade, sunscreen and covering up are still the best bets in skin cancer prevention. However, without sun exposure, the body is at risk for low levels of vitamin D, and the lack of vitamin D is linked to an increase in 16 different cancers.

The summer months are upon us which means lots of ball games, boating and fishing trips, beach vacations, and outdoor fun. That back yard swimming pool soon becomes the refuge from the heat.

Now is a great time to educate your child on the importance of lathering up with sun screen. This could keep them from getting the number one cancer in the world, skin cancer. Skin cancer is not just a cancer for the older generation. Skin cancer statistics show a rise in younger adults, teens, and children. Steps for early precautions could mean prevention.

In the majority of skin cancer cases, skin cancer develops on a part of the body most exposed to the sun. However, that is not always the case, and dermatologists suggest a regular self examination of your entire body skin surface.

To begin a self examination you will need a full-length mirror; a handheld mirror; and a private well-lit room. The full-length mirror allows you to exam the skin areas easily viewed and the handheld mirror gives you the chance to see skin areas not as easily seen, such as the back, scalp, underarms, genitalia, palms, soles, and areas between the toes and fingers. When you visit the Skin Care Physicians skin cancer self examination webpage, you will find an illustrated step-by-step guide, complete with body positions, to carry out a successful self examination.

The obvious danger signs of skin cancer are changes in the size, color, shape, or texture of birthmarks, blemishes, or moles. More specific, signs that should catch your attention are a sore that never fully heals; a translucent growth with rolled edges; brown or black streak underneath a nail; cluster of slow-growing, shiny pink or red lesions; a waxy-feeling scar; flat or slightly depressed lesion that feels hard to the touch or moles that bleed or itch. Photographs of suspicious looking skin growths and moles are also published on the skin cancer self examination webpage. To me, cancerous moles and lesions look nasty and seem easy to identify.

A final note from the experts, and another reason to perform regular self examinations -- if detected early, skin cancer is highly curable -- and the earlier skin cancer is diagnosed, the less scarring from surgical procedures when removing a cancerous growth.

For sun worshipper Shonda Schilling, being diagnosed with Stage 2 melanoma was an unbelievable shock and a life-changing wake up call to the dangers of too much sun. As a result, Shonda and her husband Curt Schilling -- former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher -- founded the Shade Foundation in a mission to eradicate melanoma through the education of children and the community in the prevention and detection of skin cancer and the promotion of sun safety.

The Shade Foundation provides shade structures for recreational areas on school grounds, and offers an extensive online resource of educational information and programs to raise awareness for sun safety. According to the American Academy of Dermatology and Shade Foundation, skin cancer is an unrecognized epidemic. Statistically, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer, and the diagnosis of younger adults with skin cancer has increased sharply. Half of all new cancers in the United States are skin cancers.

To be sun safe when going outdoors, they recommend sunscreen, a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses. And stay away from tanning beds -- because occasional yet intense UVA exposure from tanning beds actually poses a greater risk of melanoma skin cancer than does spending long hours in the sun. To learn more about sun safe activities for kids and young adults, programs, educational materials, and creating shade, visit the Shade Foundation.

What the sun has to teach us about cancer prevention is starting to sound like simple common sense -- excess and extreme of any kind is unhealthy. Sun worshippers who spend hours in the hot summer sun are at significant risk for skin cancer. People who spend most of their time indoors because of lifestyle or choice, are at greater risk of developing a number of diseases from the lack of sun exposure, including cancer.

According to the Australasian College of Dermatologists and the Cancer Council Australia, UVB exposure in small amounts is essential to good health, as UVB exposure is how the body manufactures vitamin D. In the summer as little as five minutes a day exposure to face, arms, and hands will provide the necessary sun exposure needed. In winter, when UVB rays are weakest, an accumulated exposure of two to three hours a week is needed. Even with that, we need to keep in mind that as we age our body loses the ability to synthesize vitamin D the way it did when we were younger, and vitamin D supplementation in capsule form is recommended. Other sources of Vitamin D include fish-liver oils, egg yolk, fortified milk, bread and cereals. The Australasian College of Dermatologists and the Cancer Council Australia Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure report is available as a PDF document. So, do what your mother told you to do when you were young -- go out and get some fresh air and sunshine -- just not as much when UVB rays are the strongest.

Environment Canada meteorologists are warning people who enjoy spending time in the sun to do less so this year. As the ozone layer continues to thin, the danger for sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer continues to increase. The ozone layer is not protecting us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation as much as it once did.

According to Environment Canada, the ozone layer across Canada has decreased by four to eight per cent over winter and spring, and the more sunny days there during the summer season, the more skin cancer risk to those who spend time outdoors.

Counting on sunscreen lotion to protect from the damaging rays of the bright day sun is no longer sufficient. Skin cancer experts insist, to be safe, stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- if you must be outside -- stay in the shade. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and quality sunglasses that offer protection from UVA and UVB radiation, and a long-sleeved shirt. Gone are the care-free days of walking out the door in shorts and a summer top, to spend the day enjoying the warmth and brightness of a summer day. Or, for sun worshippers, a day basking in the sun to achieve the golden tan.