How much sunscreen should I actually be putting on?

More than you think. Think shot glass: in order to really cover your whole body, you want to put on an ounce or so of sunscreen. And for the face? Think fingertip: you want three to five grams of sunscreen for optimal face coverage. And a word to the wise: don't forget to apply to the chest liberally, the scene of much sun damage (freckles, sun spots, and lines, oh my!) on so many people. While a high SPF number may make you feel more protected, it’s actually far better to apply a lower SPF sunscreen properly, than a higher SPF one lackadaisically.

What ingredients in skin products do I want to stay away from?

Many potentially toxic chemicals abound in our beauty products. But there are things you can do to avoid these ingredients and choose products that are not harmful to your health. If we had to pick one ingredient we want you to look out for, it's paraben. This common preservative – used in foundations, body moisturisers, anti-aging creams, shaving cream/gels, shampoos, conditioners, and more – help prevent bacterial growth from forming. But parabens can act as endocrine disruptors by mimicking estrogen, which is of particular concern because excess estrogen can are linked to breast cancer. To be safe, be paraben-free.

I have a new or changing skin growth – what could it mean?

Skin growths or changes are often benign, but in some cases, they could be cancerous or precancerous lesions. From freckles to moles, ask and tell your dermatologist when anything changes with your skin. Patients need to tell their doctors specifically if they have something new or something that might be getting larger, crusted, scabbed or darker. In addition, let your doctor know about a skin growth, even a tiny freckle with irregular colour or borders. Don’t put off scheduling an appointment. Duration of the lesion change can be very important as well.

I have a lot of moles on my skin. I’ve heard they can be dangerous. What makes them dangerous?

Most moles are completely harmless, but some can develop into melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. 85 per cent of cases are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and, according to Cancer Research UK, incident rates have increased by 119 per cent since the early 90s. If left undiagnosed, melanomas are difficult to cure, but caught early there is an 80-90 per cent survival rate.