Holiday weekend activities and forecasted sunny skies in southeast Iowa can mean a good chance for getting a sun burn if you’re not careful.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. Washington County Public Health Administrator Danielle Pettit-Majewski says staying in the shade and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and skirts when possible can give protection against UV rays and sun burns. Pettit-Majewski also advises to put on sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays before you go outside, and get help for hard to reach places, “I always encourage too thinking about what kind of activity you’re going to be doing because sometimes as we move our clothes shift. I always think about cycling, where you might be leaning forward on your bike. You’re not necessarily thinking about the very back of your lower back if your shirt maybe lifts up. So different spots of your body where you want to protect your skin.”

Pettit-Majewski says sunscreen should be reapplied if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. Wearing a hat with a tightly-woven fabric and a brim all the way around, as well as sunglasses can also protect from sun exposure and reduce the risk of cataracts.