Summer is right around the corner, but so is the sun. While going to the beach, hiking, working a job, playing sports, or just enjoying the weather, you should be conscious about your skin. Not only can sunburn be extremely painful and itchy, but it can also cause worse problems later in life. 

   Sunburn is caused by ultraviolet (UV) light exposure for as little as 11 minutes. The UV light damages the cells and the immune system responds by increasing the blood flow to the affected area. Sunburn can also cause skin cancer. The more you burn, the greater the risk of developing skin cancer later. 

   Josiah Koch, sophomore says “It [sunburn] isn’t that bad when I’ve had it.” Not only can you get skin cancer from sunburn, but unnoticeable UV damage can occur even without any visible burn. 

   Koch also says that he uses sunscreen and stays in the shade when he goes outside. These are two things that you could do to prevent sunburn and UV damage. The recommended SPF (sun protection factor) is 30+ and you should apply it over any skin that is exposed. 

   “I’ve never done anything to not get sunburn,” said Toby Boehlin, sophomore.

   Sunburn can vary depending on how much melanin you have. People with darker skin are less susceptible to irritated sunburn, but should still wear sunscreen to protect their skin. Even if you don’t get sunburnt, you could still develop skin cancer.