Melanoma is one of Connecticut’s most common types of cancer, ranking among the top 10 diagnoses every year.  So, Connecticut health officials have partnered with CT Cancer Partnership and American Cancer Society to place free sunscreen dispensers in some beaches, parks and public spaces in t he state and provide sun safety outreach.  The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends everyone wear sunscreen to minimize damage to the skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays. UV radiation is the leading modifiable cause of skin cancer. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of wearing sunscreen and where to find the state’s dispensers. Is skin cancer common in CT? The state tracks melanoma prevalence by incidence rate, or the number of new cancer cases that start in a group of people during a specific time. According to the state Department of Public Health, the state’s overall incidence rate is 19.2%, with Middlesex County reporting a high of 24.2%. New London, Hartford and Windham counties show similarly high rates.  According to the DPH, New London County alone has 10 beaches with significant UV exposure during summer months.   In 2018, Connecticut ranked second in the country for high skin cancer diagnoses, but experts said the state ranked high due to a large percentage of insured residents with access to dermatologists. Where can I find free sunscreen dispensers? This federally grant-funded program has placed more than 30 dispensers across four high-incidence health districts in the northern part of the state — UNCAS, Middletown, Ledge Light and West Hartford-Bloomfield. This encompasses towns like Bozrah, Salem, Montville, Lisbon, New London, Groton, Lyme and more.  Bright yellow “sun stations” with SPF 30 sunscreen have been placed in high-use outdoor public areas. These spaces include beaches, parks, pools and farmers markets.   This is not the first sunscreen campaign led by the state.  In 2024, Yale School of Medicine and IMPACT Melanoma partnered to place sunscreen dispensers in Guilford Jacobs Beach and the Guilford Community Center, as well as Surf Club Park in Madison. This effort was expanded to include the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven last year.  DPH also donated free sunscreen dispensers to Voluntown earlier this year. My town doesn’t have any dispensers. Will the state be adding more? Officials are now evaluating the program’s impact to determine future efforts. Sunscreen bottles are being distributed at wellness events, sporting venues, homeless shelters and mobile educational vans.  Local health partners are encouraged to seek support to conduct outreach in beaches, camps, schools and youth sports as well as offer free skin cancer screenings. What SPF do experts recommend?  There are two types of sunscreen — chemical ones which have molecules that absorb UV light and mineral ones which block and reflect UV light. Chemical sunscreen is lightweight and transparent, but isn’t immediately effective and is meant to be absorbed into your skin. Mineral sunscreen is considered good for sensitive skin and offers immediate protection, but leaves a white cast on skin.  SPF, which stands for sun protection factor, measures how well a sunscreen protects your skin. According to Yale University dermatologist Michael Girardi a product’s SPF needs to be at least 30 to be considered sunscreen. This blocks around 97% of the sun’s UV rays.  However, a higher SPF doesn’t necessarily mean better sun protection. Higher numbers can block slightly more UV rays, but last the same amount of time as a lower SPF sunscreen. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours when outdoors, even on cloudy days.  Experts also recommend wearing wide-brimmed hats, sun-protective clothing, using SPF infused moisturizers and makeup and checking UV before scheduling outdoor activities. ...read more read less