Summer is in full swing, and after that long, dreadful winter, who can blame us for embracing the warmth of the outdoors with open arms? But wait, not so fast. Think you’re exempt from sun-damaged skin because there’s SPF 15 in your makeup? Think again. Dr. Kucy Pon, dermatologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and assistant professor for the division of dermatology at the University of Toronto, tells us the ins and outs of skin care for those looking to have some fun in the sun.

For people who are wary of putting on sunscreen because it contains chemicals, is there any good substitute?
You can wear sun protective clothing if you don’t like wearing sunscreen. Some people use physical sunscreen — things with zinc or titanium — if they don’t want to put on chemical sunscreens. The particles in zinc and titanium are so big that they reflect the sun’s rays and cause the rays to bounce back. Chemical sunscreens are more like a sponge, they absorb the rays and they neutralize them. You could get physical sunscreen at [a drugstore]. Just look for things that contain zinc or titanium.

At what point does sun damage become a real threat?
That’s a good question. It depends on one’s skin type because the more fair you are the more susceptible you are to sun damage and ultraviolet radiation. There’s less natural melanin protection in very fair white skin versus someone of colour, like black skin for example. Someone with black skin is not so easily affected by UV rays. However all skin types can still get skin cancer, so we should all be careful in the sun.

Why do people sometimes get bumps on their skin when it’s hot outside?
That’s a different thing. That’s called miliaria, and it’s a heat rash. It’s due to overheating, and your skin becomes red and bumpy. It’s different from a rash from the sun.

How can we protect ourselves and what is the recommended SPF?
We recommend that everyone wear an SPF 30 or higher when outdoors in the sun regardless of skin colour. That’s what the Canadian Dermatology Association recommends. For people with very white skin, take extra precautions in avoiding the midday sun (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), look for shade when you’re out and reapply sunscreen every two to three hours because sunscreen doesn’t last all day. Also reapply sunscreen more often if you’re doing water activities, like swimming, or doing physical activities where you’ll be sweating a lot.

What about moles? What should people be watching out for?
We talk about the ABCDEs of melanoma, so if the mole is asymmetrical, that’s the A; if the mole is funny or irregular at the border, that’s the B; if the mole is multicoloured, that’s the C; if the mole is large in diameter (we usually use six millimetres as a benchmark, which is the size of a pencil eraser), that’s the D; and E is evolution (watch out for any change in the appearance of the mole). These are suspicious signs. People who have moles that have the ABCDEs should see their doctor to get the mole checked out. If their physician or family doctor is concerned, then the patient should be referred to a dermatologist.

How many people are getting skin cancer in Canada?
The incidence of skin cancer is on the rise. The Canadian Cancer Society says that in 2013 about 6,000 Canadians were diagnosed with melanoma and about 1,050 died from it. The chances of developing melanoma in a lifetime is about one in 63 Canadian men and one in 79 Canadian women. Those numbers are higher than they were in the past.

Why do you think that is?
I don’t know if it’s because the UV rays are more intense or if people are spending a lot more time out in the sun. It’s probably a variety of factors.

Based of what you have seen in your work as a dermatologist, who is more prone to skin cancer?
I think melanoma can affect all ages, but most of the people that I see who have melanoma tend to be in their 40s and 50s. They tend to be more fair-skinned people. They tend to be people with a lot of moles because, if you have a lot of moles, that increases your risk of skin cancer. And if there’s family history (a first-degree relative, so a parent or sibling) of melanoma that also increases your risk of skin cancer. These people should be screened routinely for skin cancer — once a year.

Is an SPF 15 in your makeup good enough?
You should wear an SPF 30 or higher. In order to get that SPF, a person would have to put a shot glass size, or two tablespoons, of SPF 30 sunscreen on their body to get that number. That means that on your face you would have to put half a teaspoon of makeup on. But most people don’t put that much makeup on their face, so they’re not actually getting that SPF 30.