As you get ready to go out for a walk on the trail or to splash in the pool, remember to put sunscreen on first. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage in as little as 15 minutes.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski shares what type of sunscreen is recommended to protect your skin, “You’re going to want to find sunscreen that has UVA and UVB protection. So, like a broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays. So, UVA they penetrate deep into the skin and that’s what causes premature aging, and up to 90% of our visible skin changes that are commonly attributed to aging are caused by sun exposure. So, you want a sunscreen that has that UVA protection to prevent from long-term damage. Now you want the UVB protection because the UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn.”

She says it’s best to put on the lotion about 10 minutes before your activity, so your skin has time to absorb it. She also said that sunscreen can degrade in strength overtime, so if you have a bottle from last year it may be best to toss it out and get a new one.