To help customers have a safe and fun summer in the sun, Rite Aid and The Skin Cancer Foundation are partnering to raise awareness and offer free information on the importance of smart skin care practices. A free skin care guide aimed to encourage customers to protect their skin this summer will be available at nearly 4,900 Rite Aid stores nationwide and online at http://www.riteaid.com starting May 31.

The 12-page skin care guide contains information from The Skin Cancer Foundation on being proactive in preventing skin cancer, guidelines on how to use and choose sunscreen, and tips to avoid burning. There’s a section on how to protect the eyes with the proper sunglasses, as well as information on how different kinds of recreation call for different kinds of sun protection, such as sweat-resistant or water-resistant sunscreens and a lip balm of at least SPF 15.

The guide includes the signs of skin cancer, how diabetes affects the skin, how to use sunscreens and cosmetics together, and how to keep skin healthy year-round with the use of sunscreen, exfoliation and hydration - both on the surface with moisturizers and internally by drinking plenty of water. A simple quiz at http://www.riteaid.com/health/skin/ is designed to determine skin type and offers advice based on answers.

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A new survey from the Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that a significant number of Asian Americans living in California adopt unhealthy sun-exposure behaviors as they become more westernized. The findings underscore a need for increased skin-health awareness on the part of primary care physicians, dermatologists and people of Asian ancestry, who may incorrectly assume that pigmented skin and hair protect against skin cancer.

“Skin screening and self-examination recommendations, which are often targeted more to people with fair skin, should definitely include different ethnic groups,” said dermatologist Anne Chang, MD, an instructor at the medical school, who noted that skin cancer rates have been reported to be rising significantly in Asians living in Singapore and Japan. “Asian Americans shouldn’t derive a false sense of security from the presence of skin and hair pigmentation.”

Chang and her colleagues surveyed the attitudes and behaviors of 546 Asian Americans in the study, which will be published in the May issue of the Archives of Dermatology. Study participants filled out an Internet-based questionnaire asking, among other things, about their skin type, their degree of westernization and the amount of time spent tanning outdoors or in tanning booths. More than 95 percent of the responses came from Northern California.

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Pale skinned people who are most at risk of skin cancer are ignoring sun safety advice, according to research released today to launch Sun Awareness Week 2009.

The survey of 1500 UK adults looked at people’s behaviour in the sun in relation to their individual risk of skin cancer, as well as their understanding of the need to check the skin for cancer, and their choice of sun protection products.

Skin types

The survey revealed that less than half (45%) of people with skin type 1 or 2 - pale skin which easily sunburns and is at the greatest risk of skin cancer - always use a sunscreen when out in the sun.

Three quarters (75%) of those who took part in the survey sunbathe to get a tan. Of particular concern, half (50%) of those with skin types 1 or 2 sunbathe. These skin types, who sunburn rapidly and should always use sun protection on sunny days, are strongly advised against sunbathing.

Worryingly, over a third (39%) of people who have skin types 1 or 2 admitted to having used sunbeds.

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In your 20s and 30s, skin care is still more about prevention than cure.   As such, the best face creams are the ones that nourish your skin and lend it the protection it needs from harmful elements.  With lines and creases still not that likely a pressing problem, you need to focus on products that will help retain your skin’s natural health.

Daytime Moisturizers. In your 20s, finding the best face cream moisturizer is all about protective qualities.  As such, pick one that has a minimum SPF of 15 that will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.  Use it generously throughout your face, neck and chest for best results.

For your 30s, you need the best face cream moisturizers with minimum SPF of 20 plus UVA/UVB protection.  Additionally, you want to pick up products containing a good amount of antioxidants (green tea and vitamin C are good options) to help protect your skin from free radicals.  An eye cream that aims to treat both fine lines and puffiness should be worn daily.

It goes without saying that, at either age, you should choose products specifically designed for your skin type.

Nighttime Face Creams. During night use, the best face cream for those in their 20s are either hydrating fluids or oil-free moisturizers that contain retinol.  For thirtysomethings, moisturizers containing prescription-grade retinoids may be in order, so consult your dermatologist.