Even as the summer heats up and the threat of sunburn elevates, RaeAnn Barks won’t be purchasing any sunscreen.

“I don’t think it’s worth using,” the St. John’s freshman said. “It depends on what you’re doing, but I get burned anyway. If you’re doing something like boating it comes off when you’re in the water.”

Barks may not be a fan of sunscreen, but CMU Health Educator Dan Lowery said it makes a lot of difference.

“The time and day doesn’t matter,” he said. “You can use it year-round but especially in the summer. It’s always good to have it on and I’d put it on every couple hours, and even then I’d recommend staying in the shade.”

Lowery also said sunscreen should be applied to all exposed areas.

“Some sunscreens come in SPFs of 4 or 8, but you’ll need at least an SPF of 15,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a gel or spray, Coppertone or Banana Boat; I don’t recommend one over the other as long as it has an SPF of at least 15.”

Chemistry Professor Anton Jensen said sunscreen contains components that reflect ultraviolet light, the highest type of energy to come to earth. UV light induces the formation of thymine dimmers, which are carcinogens.

“You don’t see UV light. It’s not visible, but it will give you sunburn,” he said. “Visible light won’t give you sunburn. You could sit in front of a light bulb for hours and you’d never get tan.”

Because sunscreen works to reflect UV light, Jensen said the higher the SPF number, the better.

“Some companies use different elements but all sunscreens essentially do the same thing,” he said. “You should look for the one with the highest protection.”

Dave Weston, community coordinator for the Central Michigan Red Cross chapter, said even sunless days can present a hazard.

“I most definitely wear sunscreen to help against the hazardous rays in sunshine,” he said. “I’ve gotten sunburned even on cloudy days, it might surprise people. If I’m around the water, I’ll wear more.”

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