8 worst summer skin care mistakes you need to stop making
Get the secrets to protecting your skin from sun damage.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
Your skin can take a beating in the summertime. Between beach trips, barbecues, and other outdoor activities, long days outdoors can exacerbate sun damage and wrinkles and raise your risk of developing skin cancer. But there are ways you can protect yourself.
Here are eight summer skin care mistakes you should avoid, plus tips for safeguarding your skin all season long.
Written byMichael Gollust.
Medically reviewed byAmy Gonzales, MD.
Sources: American Academy of Dermatology Association. Sunscreen FAQs. Page last updated September 7 + 14
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Sunscreen FAQs. Page last updated September 7, 2022.
- Lyons AB, Trullas C, Kohli I, et al. Photoprotection beyond ultraviolet radiation: A review of tinted sunscreens. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;84(5):1393-1397.
- The Skin Cancer Foundation. Sunburn and Your Skin. Page last reviewed May 2021.
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. Page last updated July 14, 2022.
- Venosa, Ali. 5 Sneaky Ways You’re Being Exposed to the Sun’s UV Rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation. June 21, 2022.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun. Page last reviewed December 16, 2022.
- Cleveland Clinic. Actinic Cheilitis. Page last reviewed May 13, 2022.
- The Skin Cancer Foundation. You Missed a Spot! Lower Your Skin Cancer Risk by Protecting These Often-Missed Areas. August 24, 2018.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquito Bite Symptoms and Treatments. Page last reviewed March 6, 2020.
- Sánchez M, González-Burgos E, Iglesias I, et al. Pharmacological Update Properties of Aloe Vera and its Major Active Constituents. Molecules. 2020;25(6):1324.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. The Danger of Insect Stings. Accessed on February 2, 2023.
- Mayo Clinic. Bee Sting. Page last reviewed August 18, 2022.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to Care for Dry, Cracked Heels. Page last updated January 31, 2022.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Should You Put Sunscreen on Infants? Not Usually. Page last reviewed August 24, 2021.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. 12 Summer Skin Problems You Can Prevent. Accessed on February 2, 2023.
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How can I be more consistent?