THE BEST (AND WORST!) HEALTH ADVICE

Outdated, misguided, or just plain wrong suggestions come at us from all over: friends, family, the Internet. But we "regular" folks aren't the only ones who get questionable medical input; doctors and other top health experts have also heard their fair share. So we asked them to share the pearls of non-wisdom they hear most often and what you should do instead to live your healthiest life.

- LESLIE GOLDMAN

BAD ADVICE

YOU DON'T NEED TO WEAR SUNSCREEN UNDER A T-SHIRT.

Dermatologists see right through this common misconception, says Mona Gohara, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University Everyday tees aren't made of fabric with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), so they allow about 20% of UV rays to get to your skin. If you regularly spend time outside, "that's more than enough exposure to cause trouble," says Dr. Gohara. The skin underneath is still susceptible to sunburn, wrinkling, and skin cancer.

SMART STRATEGY

When you're planning to have fun in the sun, wear clothing (tops, bottoms, hats) with a built-in UPF of 50 or higher; the Skin Cancer Foundation considers this one of the most effective methods of UV protection. But slathering sunscreen on areas that are left exposed is still a must. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours, says Dr. Gohara. Don't forget easy-to-skip regions like your lips and eyelids plus the tops of your ears and feet.

BAD ADVICE

GO AHEAD AND CLEAN YOUR EARS WITH COTTON SWABS-JUST DON'T DIG.

Cotton swabs are great for just about everything except what we all think they're supposed to do: clean out earwax. "It actually says on the package that these should not be used in the ears," says Hamid Djalilian, M.D., a professor of clinical otolaryngology at the University of California, Irvine. Twisting one around in your ear might feel good, but it's a big no-no for a few reasons. You may injure the fragile ear canal skin or the eardrum or push wax in deeper, leading to temporary hearing loss as it accumulates in the canal. Besides, our ears need a little wax to help prevent bacteria, water, and other particles from finding their way in.

SMART STRATEGY