This is why you’re supposed to put sunscreen everywhere. As in everywhere

See those lobster-colored hands? Those belong to me. But right now I wish they belonged to someone else.

I’m usually a fanatic about applying sunscreen, but this past Sunday my brain went on hold as I meticulously spread the stuff on my face, shoulders, neck, lower arms and ears--places that I knew would be exposed as I walked around the Rose Bowl flea market.

For some reason it didn’t occur to me to put the sunscreen on the tops of my hands. It still didn’t occur to me as I pushed a cart for about four hours. In direct sunlight. Never registered. Not a blip.

It wasn’t until later when I absently scratched my hand and screamed in pain that I realized what had happened. Pulling up my sleeves I noticed big, rosy blotches on the tops of my hands. Isn’t that pretty? And it feels so darn good.

So the moral of the story is: apply sunscreen everywhere. Or wear gloves. Or don’t leave the house.

Here are some sun protection guidelines from the Skin Cancer Foundation. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Save yourself. There’s still time.