Sun Safety in 2022 

Advanced Dermatology shared that summer is underway and as many people spend time outside.  But, it’s easy to forget about protecting your skin. Whether you’re spending time at the pool, beach, or backyard barbecue, it’s important to use sunscreen or sunblock because sun damage can happen quickly.

Sun damage can result in brown spots, wrinkles, and sunburns. While many of those concerns can be addressed through cosmetic procedures, the most concerning issue is developing skin cancer. So do Americans take sun safety seriously? We surveyed more than 1,000 people across the country to find out.

When it comes to using sunscreen or sunblock, the majority of Americans are not using products regularly. 13% say they use sunscreen on their body most or all of the time, while 53% say they use it sometimes, and 34% rarely or never put on sunscreen. Nearly 2 in 5 men (39%) rarely or never use sunscreen, compared to 28% of women.

Although the majority of Americans don’t use sunscreen regularly on their body, more report being diligent about putting sunscreen on their face. 29% of people use sunscreen on their face most or all of the time, while 43% say they sometimes put it on their face, and 28% rarely or never use it. Additionally, nearly half (44%) of women use sunscreen on their face most or all of the time, compared to just 15% of men.

Only 31% of Americans say they wear sunscreen year-round. The majority of people (58%) report only wearing sunscreen during the summer months and even more concerning, more than 1 in 10 say they don’t wear sunscreen at all. 

For some, putting on sunscreen depends on the weather and their plans as 52% say they only wear sunscreen while doing certain activities on sunny days. Despite the lack of sunshine on cloudy days, experts still recommend wearing sunscreen as ultraviolet (UV) rays can penetrate clouds, however, 61% of Americans say they never wear sunscreen on partly cloudy or cloudy days.

To read the full report, click here.