For most adults, use about 1 ounce of sunscreen—roughly a shot-glass amount—to cover exposed skin, including at least 1 teaspoon for the face. Apply it 15 minutes before going outdoors, then reapply at least every two hours while outside. Reapply sooner after swimming or sweating, and follow the product label for water resistance.
How much sunscreen should you apply?
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends about 1 ounce to cover the skin not protected by clothing. That is approximately a shot-glass amount. Use at least 1 teaspoon for your face. The amount you need varies with your body size and how much skin is exposed; add enough to cover all exposed areas evenly.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also describes 1 ounce as the amount for an average-sized adult or child to evenly cover the body. This is a practical starting point, not a fixed dose for every person or outfit.
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Apply sunscreen before going outdoors. The FDA advises applying it 15 minutes before sun exposure, and the AAD says sunscreen takes approximately 15 minutes to absorb. Follow the product label and cover exposed skin before you head outside.
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When should you reapply sunscreen?
While outdoors, reapply at least every two hours. The FDA advises reapplying more often if you are swimming or sweating; the AAD also recommends reapplying after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. A higher SPF does not extend the two-hour interval.
After swimming or sweating
Check the sunscreen label for its water-resistance interval. AAD explains that a water-resistant label indicates either 40 or 80 minutes in water. Reapply after the stated interval, after toweling off, and at least every two hours while outdoors—even if your skin still seems dry. Water-resistant does not mean waterproof.
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Where should you apply it?
Cover every area of skin not protected by clothing. The AAD calls out the face, neck, ears, legs, and tops of the feet, as well as the scalp where hair is thinning. Use SPF 30 or higher lip balm on your lips. Avoid getting sunscreen in your eyes or mouth; follow the product directions if it gets into either.
For hard-to-reach areas such as your back, ask someone to help or use a spray sunscreen, following its label directions to ensure coverage. The AAD recommends choosing a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum products protect against UVA and UVB rays.
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Make sunscreen easier to remember
Reapplication is easy to miss: in an AAD survey with no field dates stated on the retrieved page, 65% of people said they often forget to reapply, and only about one-third of Americans said they reapply every two hours while outside. Set a reminder for the two-hour mark and keep sunscreen accessible when you are outdoors.
Sunscreen works alongside other sun-protection measures. Seek shade and wear protective clothing, such as a hat, while still applying sunscreen to skin that remains exposed.
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