Imagine yourself in ten years from now. How do you look? How’s your skin? What if you were told that you had skin cancer? Most of us do not think about how important our skin is and how crucial it is for us to take care of it every day.
Although we have not had much sunshine this spring, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day as “Don’t Fry Day” to share awareness and remind everyone to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors as the summer gets closer.
Keep reading for some tips on how you and your family can prevent skin cancer and long-term skin damage.
Sun Safety Tips:
- Do not burn or tan
- Avoid intentional tanning and tanning beds.
- Seek Shade
- When it’s very hot out, sit under a tree or other shade structure. Use an umbrella when at the beach.
- Sun rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Wear protective clothing
- Use long sleeve shirts and pants
- Wide brimmed hat and sunglasses
- Apply Sunscreen throughout your day
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or higher for protection from harmful ultraviolet A and B radiation.
- Budget friendly and clean sunscreens: CeraVe sunscreen, Neutrogena sunscreens, Derma e sunscreen, etc. To check if your sunscreen contains any harmful ingredients visit: Best Recreational Sunscreens | EWG’s Guide to Sunscreens
- Apply 15 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.
- Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand
- These surfaces can be very harmful and reflect the damaging rays of the sun leaving you with a possible sunburn.
- Get vitamin D safely
- Take vitamin supplements
- Incorporate in your healthy diet.
What is Melanoma?
Melanoma is a skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body and causes over 9,000 deaths every year. People who die of melanoma lose an average of 20 years of life expectancy. Melanoma can be caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sun or sources such as indoor tanning.
Why Is it important?
Skin Cancer is one of the most common diagnosed cancers in the United States. Too much sun exposure can age your skin, lead to skin cancer, weaken, or suppress your immune system.
According to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, more than 1 million Americans are living with melanoma. Early detection of melanoma can save your life. Without additional prevention efforts, cases of melanoma will continue to increase in the next 15 years.
You can detect it early by carefully examining all your skin once a month and visit your doctor if you notice a new or changing spot on your skin. For more helpful tips, visit How to Spot Skin Cancer.
Please visit the sources for more information:
Don’t Fry Day : National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention
Healthy Skin | American Skin Association