Summertime often means recreation and vacation. It also means higher temperatures and increased exposure to the sun. Before using last year's bottle of sunscreen, check the expiration date. Sunscreen can decompose over time and become ineffective. Toss out any bottles near or past their expiration dates. Also, discard sunscreens that have separated or have an odd odor, even if the date is still current. When buying a new bottle of sunscreen, be sure it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Choose SPF number of 15 or higher, but do not pay a premium for really high numbers (those above 30) because they offer only slightly more protection. Sunscreen must also be used with caution on small children because it is dangerous if they get the lotion into their eyes, especially the waterproof kind. Finally, don't rely on sunscreen to give you full protection in the middle of a summer day. Cover up with a shirt, hat, and sunglasses between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Children especially should be well protected during these hours, because sunburns early in life increase the risk of melanoma later.

Some forms of hereditary colon cancers and polyposis are also associated with skin features. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is associated with freckling around the lips. HNPCC can be associated with a rare type of skin cancer called a sebaceous carcinoma. Individuals with familial FAP may develop benign growths on their skin. At this time there is not research indicating that these conditions increase the risk for skin cancer caused by sun exposure. However, everyone should still take precautions to protect themselves and minimize their sun exposure.