July is the height of summer, a time when many people are spending the most time outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and its beneficial vitamin D. But at the same time, that sunshine can cause health risks, as noted in the designation of this month as UV Safety Awareness Month.

As noted by the US Department of Health and Human Services, your skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Yet, many people don’t consider the necessity of protecting our skin. Yet the need to protect your skin from the sun has become very clear over the years, supported by several studies linking overexposure to the sun with skin cancer. The harmful ultraviolet rays from both the sun and indoor tanning “sunlamps” can cause many other complications besides skin cancer – such as eye problems, a weakened immune system, age spots, wrinkles, and leathery skin.

So what should you do? The USDHHS offers some simple, everyday steps you can take to safeguard your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun.

Wear proper clothing: Wearing clothing that will protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays is very important. Protective clothing are long-sleeved shirts and pants are good examples. Also, remember to protect your head and eyes with a hat and UV-resistant sunglasses. You can fall victim to sun damage on a cloudy day as well as in the winter, so dress accordingly all year round.

Avoid the burn: Sunburns significantly increase one’s lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. It is especially important that children be kept from sunburns as well.

Go for the shade: Stay out of the sun, if possible, between the peak burning hours, which are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can head for the shade, or make your own shade with protective clothing – including a broad-brimmed hat, for example.

Use extra caution when near reflective surfaces, like water, snow, and sand: Water, snow, sand, even the windows of a building can reflect the damaging rays of the sun. That can increase your chance of sunburn, even if you’re in what you consider a shady spot.

Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen :Generously apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to cover all exposed skin. The FDA recommends using sunscreens that are not only broad spectrum, but that also have a sun protection factor (SPF) value of at least 15 for protection against sun-induced skin problems. And rememeber – Even if a sunscreen is labeled as “water-resistant,” it must be reapplied throughout the day, especially after sweating or swimming. To be safe, apply sunscreen at a rate of one ounce every two hours. Depending on how much of the body needs coverage, a full-day (six-hour) outing could require one whole tube of sunscreen.

Being outdoors in warm weather months can be a lot of fun and relaxing, but it can be dangerous as well. Enjoy the summer sun – just do so safely.