The sun warms our planet, provides energy for plants to grow and generally lets us know when to get out of bed in the morning - but it can be brutal on our skin.

With the summertime in full swing, this is another opportunity to remind construction workers that the tan you get on or off the job, is anything but healthy.

"The myth of health associated with a suntan is simply that - a myth," said Craig Wax, D.O., an osteopathic family physician practicing in New Jersey. "Some people expose themselves to the sun for the vitamin D. The amount of vitamin D made available is minimal compared with the risk of skin cancer with prolonged exposure."

He said that tanning is the body's way of protecting itself against ultraviolet (UV) ray exposure. The brown pigment melanin produced by skin is spread throughout the exposed areas. But this pigment only minimally protects the skin against further damage from UV radiation.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests that, regardless of skin type, a broad-spectrum (protects against UVA and UVB rays) sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 should be used year-round. Even on a cloudy day, 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays pass through the clouds.

It is impossible to completely avoid sunlight when you work out of doors, but here are a few points to ponder by the dermatology academy, the Laborers Health and Safety Fund, and other experts, that will help save your skin:

• There are so many types of sunscreen, including ointments, creams, gels, lotions and wax sticks. The type of sunscreen you choose is a matter of personal choice.
• Ideally, sunscreens should be water resistant, so they cannot be easily removed by sweating and should have an SPF of 15 or higher that provides broad-spectrum coverage against all ultraviolet light wavelengths.
• Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, especially if you sweat a lot. The AAD recommends you use enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass to cover exposed areas of your body.
• Unless indicated by an expiration date, the FDA requires that all sunscreens be stable and at their original strength for at least three years.
• SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Sunscreens are rated or classified by the strength of their SPF. The SPF numbers on the packaging can range from as low as 2 to greater than 50. These numbers refer to the product's ability to deflect the sun's burning rays.

The sunscreen SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce a sunburn on sunscreen protected skin to the amount of time needed to cause a sunburn on unprotected skin. For example, if a sunscreen is rated SPF 2 and a fair-skinned person who would normally turn red after ten minutes of exposure in the sun uses it, it would take twenty minutes of exposure for the skin to turn red. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would allow that person to multiply that initial burning time by 15, which means it would take 15 times longer to burn, or 150 minutes.

But… SPF protection does not actually increase proportionately with a designated SPF number. In higher SPFs, such as an SPF of 30, 97 percent of sun burning rays are deflected, while an SPF of 15 indicates 93 percent deflection and an SPF of 2 equals 50 percent deflection.

• Don't forget the back of your neck and ears. Attach a neck flap to your hard hat.
• A suntan is the skin's response to an injury. Tanning occurs when the sun's ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin's inner layer, causing the skin to produce more melanin as a response to the injury. Chronic exposure to the sun results in a change in the skin's texture causing wrinkling and age spots. Thus, tanning to improve appearance is ultimately self-defeating. Every time you tan, you accumulate damage to the skin. This damage, in addition to accelerating the aging process, also increases your risk for all types of skin cancer, including melanoma.
• More than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year.
• According to the Shade Foundation of America, 1 in 5 Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 62 Americans have a lifetime risk of developing invasive melanoma
• Cover up. Tightly woven fabrics and dark colors, such as deep blue and black or bright colors such as orange and red, offer the best protection. If you can see light through fabrics, then the material is not protecting against harmful UV rays.
• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses that wraparound or have large frames. . Look for a label that says "UV absorption up to 400mm," "Special Purpose" or "Meets ANSI UV Requirements." Eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes are common sites for skin cancer and sun-induced aging. The use of sunglasses also helps reduce the risk of cataracts later in life.