This Is the One Place Everyone Forgets to Put Sunscreen

Even though most people know how to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that skin cancer is still the most common form of cancer in the U.S. — and it’s on the rise. Since 1994, the diagnosis and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers has increased by a whopping 77 percent, and 90 percent of those diagnoses were associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Much of that may be due to applying sunscreen incorrectly, not putting on any SPF at all, or missing spots that are exposed to the sun. The sun is sneaky, and if you’re not diligent, those rays will get you. (PS: Find out how to apply sunscreen correctly, according to a dermatologist.) Commonly forgotten spots include the ears, back of the neck, tops of the feet, hands, and the last place you’d probably think of: The scalp.

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Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Alexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.

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