Philly installing free sunscreen dispensers

Runners, cyclists, baseball fans, and tourists will soon be able to get free sunscreen at a handful of popular spots in Philadelphia.

Officials unveiled the new sunscreen dispensers – to be placed near Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row, in the City Hall courtyard, and at Citizens Bank Park – this week.

Three dispensers will be near Boathouse Row on Kelly Drive, while another will be located outside City Hall. Twelve more will be available to fans throughout Citizens Bank Park. The dispensers are manufactured by BrightGuard.

The sun-protection effort is a partnership among the city, the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation, Independence Blue Cross, and the Phillies. Among those involved in the initiative is Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt, who has been public in recent years about his battle with melanoma.

But making sunscreen available is just one step in preventing skin cancer and other conditions. A recent study found that most people using freely available lotion didn't apply sunscreen to all of their exposed skin, didn't wear sun-protection clothing such as hats or sunglasses and used the sunscreen far less frequently on cloudy days.

Experts recommend using using broad-spectrum sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15, and there is a variety of options depending on your needs and skin type.