Never head outdoors without a liberal coating of a broad-spectrum (blocks both UVA and UVB rays) sunscreen of at least SPF 15. "Apply it 30 minutes before you leave the house so it will bind to your skin," says Wolf. "And if you'll be sweating or swimming, use a water-resistant sunscreen, and reapply it every two hours." Also, limit sun exposure by scheduling outdoor exercise before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m., to avoid the most potent rays.

If you've been careless about applying the sunscreen, you may be able to prevent sunburn pain if you act quickly by taking ibuprofen or aspirin right away. "Because sunburn takes six to eight hours to fully develop, you can stop a lot of the redness and pain before it starts by taking these. They both block prostaglandin, a chemical that develops the sunburn," says Wolf. He also recommends a tepid bath -- not hot because it will inflame the irritated skin -- laced with oatmeal, a good skin soother. And if you develop a sunburn that gets itchy and begins to peel, Wolf says to take Benadryl, which will quell the itchiness.

A new vaccine for Lyme Disease
In spring and summer, the woods are thick with a new crop of young ticks itching for a warm body. And if they're deer ticks or Pacific Coast black-legged ticks, they may well be carrying Lyme disease. Although it's not fatal, this disease can debilitate: Symptoms, which vary greatly and may not appear until weeks after the bite, include a long-lasting "bull's-eye" rash (either at the bite site or elsewhere), fever, aches, chills and, in untreated people after about two months, chronic arthritis. (There is a blood test to detect Lyme, but it's not always reliable.)