#sp Summer is one of my favorite times of year – the energy from extra hours of daylight is so rejuvenating and everyone seems to be in a better mood after spending some more time outside. Of course, with sunshine comes the risk of sunburn and some may even have concerns about skin cancer, particularly melanoma. Here are some things to keep in mind about melanoma and how you can still have fun in the sun.

Melanoma isn’t the only type of skin cancer. In fact, it isn’t even the most common. However, melanoma is considered the most dangerous because of its ability to spread rapidly.

Melanoma can form on the scalp and may be hiding underneath hair. The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests asking your hairstylist to let you know if they see anything unusual on the scalp when washing or styling your hair, because these lesions can be hard to see yourself.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, only 20-30% of melanomas are found on existing moles vs. normal-looking skin. This means everyone should be extra vigilant about protecting all areas of skin, even if no moles exist there yet.

So, what’s the best way to protect skin while still enjoying the sunshine? SPF is important but of course it is not always convenient, and many people don’t want to be bothered to reapply after swimming or sweating. Plus, you need someone else to apply it to your back and other hard-to-reach areas – and what about the scalp?

Another idea is to use sun-protective clothing (hats, shirts, swimwear, etc.) with a high UPF, like from Coolibar. Coolibar’s clothing line has a UPF of 50, which means it blocks 49/50ths or 98% of the UV radiation that falls onto the garment (by comparison a standard white t-shirt only has UPF of 5-7). Note, this is different from how SPF is calculated for sunscreen. Coolibar uses this “smart” fabric for fashionable pieces and QUALITY from head to toe. Quality is important here to ensure the protective benefits last wash after wash. They have styles for all ages – even for the littlest babies that can’t yet wear sunscreen.

Coolibar’s mission is: “health, happiness and life in the sun” – so, get out there with another layer of protection.