In preparation for the upcoming break, the Midway interviewed Lathilda Reddy, a board-certified dermatologist, also certified in internal medicine, on how to stay safe in the sun this summer while also still going outside and having fun. Dr. Reddy’s answers have been lightly edited for clarity, length and style.

How should people aim to prevent sun damage?

Luckily, we have smartphones that give you the UV index, so it helps when the UV is the highest. So if you really want to prevent sun damage, for any reason, like if you have a person in the family with skin cancer or just don’t want to have wrinkles and dark sun spots, try to get your sun before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m.

Is there any way to tan safely and naturally?

Tanning is still causing some sun damage, so there’s no natural way of tanning that’s healthy, but at the same time it depends on what we are trying to prevent. If people are worried about the sun damage making you look old or causing skin cancer, tanning will worsen those risks.

What kind of sunscreen is the best to use? 

I would say mineral-based sunscreen. The ingredients you want to look for are titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Those are the mineral-based sun protectants which protect you from not only UVA and UVB, but also the visible light.

Does the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) matter, and is a higher number better?

After SPF 50, the SPF number really doesn’t matter. The FDA asked them to remove that after 50 because it gives you a false sense of protection.

Are there different dermatology recommendations based on skin type and what are they?

People that are very light skinned burn easily, so we want to make sure that they don’t burn from sun exposure. If you have blistering sun burns, it increases your skin cancer risk. For skin types I-III to IV you want to make sure you use a UV block and try to avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Can darker-skinned people still be affected by sun damage?

[For] the people that are darker skinned, V and VI, obviously the skin cancer risk is low, but, if they have other conditions, there are certain conditions in dermatology that sun exposure can make worse such as sun-induced rashes, sun-induced pigmentation, so we recommend for them doing the sun protection with the physical block.

How does swimming in chlorine really affect the skin? 

If people have sensitive skin or they have eczema or psoriasis, any kind of dermatitis like that, it can irritate the skin. Typically, we tell patients if you have sensitive skin, if they tend to itch right after or have an active rash going on, come out and try to rinse off the chlorine quickly and moisturize or you can moisturize and get into the water so that it helps as a barrier protectant and lubricant.