After the rough winter we had this year, bring on the heat, the beach and the sun – but remember your skin needs a little extra TLC during the summer months.

The benefits of the sun are endless; it’s important for the planet and for each of us. Sunbathing helps your body create vitamin D, a vital nutrient for everything from your bones, to your brain to aiding in weight loss. Sun helps your skin heal things like wounds or conditions like acne. It’s been linked to helping with depression and building your immune system. The sun is wonderful and necessary – but as with all good things, you can have too much of it.

There are many easy steps you can take to avoid serious damage to your skin from the sun. To get you started:

1. Wear a hat whenever possible to protect your face from the sun. Since your face is always exposed, it gets the most damage.
2. Wear sunscreen and lip balm every day. It’s best to wear it even on cloudy days since the sun can still come through. Many moisturizers and foundations have up to SPF 30 included to help make this even easier.
3. Since the sun can cause melanoma build up in your eyes, wear UVA-protective sunglasses.
4. Stay out of the sun from 10-2 if possible. This is the most intense sunlight of the day, so if you need to be outside, be cautious.
5. Never tan in a tanning bed – this can increase your chances of skin cancer by up to 75%. It’s not worth it.
6. Moisturize and hydrate. Even when you’re not in the sun, you can take actions to make your skin healthier. Drink your water and moisturize every night before bed!

The best step you can take for healthy skin is to make an appointment with your dermatologist. You stick to your daily dental routine but you wouldn’t skip your bi-annual dentist check up. Similarly, everyone should make their skin and seeing the dermatologist a priority, especially around the summer time. It is recommended that even if you have no skin ailments, you see a dermatologist once a year for a thorough exam.

Dermatologists will check each mole and can give you better, more specific instructions for how to protect your skin. With so many sunscreens and other skin care products on the market, a doctor can help you choose which is best for you. You can also find out which moisturizers are best, what to be on the lookout for and key signs that you need to come back for a check up. Seeing a dermatologist can help with prevention, early detection and recovery, especially for you sun lovers.

So, buy some sunscreen and a hat for the beach, and then book an appointment with your dermatologist today.