The expected high of 32ºC today will bring many outdoors and into the sunshine.

Dr. Gordon Dyck, a doctor in southern Manitoba, says he has already seen two cases of sunburn this year and there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid skin damage for the rest of the summer. Dr. Dyck notes it's good to be aware of the time when the sun is the most potent, checking the UV index, applying sun protection as per the manufacturer's instructions, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and wearing clothing that covers the skin.

He says the SPF number for sunscreen is important, "because if you've got Mediterranean-type skin, you don't need an SPF 50 or 60. If you've got very fair skin, you need more sun protection because your body doesn't have if. So you're trying to match what your body needs with the product that you're using."

Dr. Dyck adds children have very delicate skin and, in at all times, require more skin protection. He notes SPF products say the product has to be visible on the skin to be at its highest effectiveness, therefore, if the product is rubbed into the skin the effectiveness is cut in half or thirds.

Dr. Dyck says if its cloudy outside, you can still get a sunburn.

"That's where looking at the UV index and checking it beforehand makes sense. Just because there's not a bright sun outside doesn't mean you're not getting sun exposure. So much of it depends on what else is in the air, what else is diffracting the sun. So, on days when there's a lot of pollen or a lot of dust, the UV index might be a little bit lower. After a gentle rain, all that stuff is flushed out of the air, now the sun is actually more powerful, even if its cloudy."

He adds if you're outside and think you have a sunburn, get into the shade or indoors immediately and cool off the area of skin with a moisturizer. Dr. Dyck says taking a vitamin D supplement has also shown to help the body heal more quickly after a burn. He notes an area of skin is only able to absorb vitamin D outside for 30 minutes, afterwards, the skin must take a 30 minute break to 'reset' before it's able to absorb more vitamin D.

"To me, it's just being aware," says Dr. Dyck. "Because preventing a problem is something that more and more is my passion; to prevent problems as opposed to just trying to patch them up after they've occurred."

Dr. Dyck gives an example of a patient who have 20 spots of cancer removed from their face and scalp over the course of seven years because of the amount of time they spent outside without any sunscreen. He says he would rather not see a patient anymore because they're preventing the problem than regularly see them to have another spot of cancer removed from their skin.