Sun Safety
Are you being skin smart? Sunburns may seem like an everyday annoyance, but they can be truly harmful to your skin, making you more susceptible to skin cancer and aging your appearance.
Watch this video to see people discover what they look like under ultraviolet light. You will come to appreciate the startling power of sunscreen!
5 Helpful Tips for Protecting Your Skin from the Sun Year-Round
Wear clothing designed to block the suns UV rays or consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a broad-brimmed hat to protect areas like the neck, ears, scalp and face.
Always use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day to protect yourself from both types of damaging ultraviolet radiation. Apply your sun screen 15 minutes before you go outside so it has time to be ready to protect you when you go into the sun.Make sure you apply your sunscreen to all exposed skin, making sure you cover your ears, neck, hands, feet, scalp, lips and around your eyes.
Damage from the sun’s harmful rays can occur in as little as 15 minutes. Also, try to limit your exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. as this is when the sun’s rays are the strongest and can be the most damaging.
Since not all clothing is designed equal it’s important to look for clothing designed to block the suns UV rays or consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants. Also, wearing a broad-brimmed hat goes a long way in protecting areas like your neck, ears, scalp and face. Also, wear sunglasses with UV blocking that are large enough to protect your eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes.
The ultraviolet light from the tanning beds can caused skin cancer and wrinkling. And remember, if you want to look tan you can always use a self-tanning product but make sure you also continue to use your sunscreen too.
The best early detection strategy is to see your dermatologist once a year, or more often if your at higher risk for developing skin cancer, for a comprehensive full-body skin exam.
Choosing And Applying Sunscreen
Learn more about Choosing the Right Sunscreen (courtesy of American Academy of Dermatology).
Watch This Short Video On How To Properly Apply Sunscreen
We want everyone to take the time to become better educated about what we can all do to prevent skin cancer. Our mission is to help the communities we serve become more familiar with the importance of early detection and the critical role you can play in spotting skin cancer and spreading the word. And, remember, when caught early skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to cure.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.
Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent.
Ranking
Most common cause of skin cancer
Discovery
Usually discovered in areas exposed to the sun
Rarely spreads, very rarely fatal
Who
Anyone – people who are at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green, or grey eyes
Ranking
Second most common skin cancer
Discovery
Sometimes spreads to other parts of the body, but almost all cases are curable
Who
Rarely appears before age 50
Majority of skin cancers in African-Americans are squamous cell
Ranking
Accounts for less than 2% of skin cancer cases
Discovery
Melanoma may develop as a new mole or in a preexisting mole
Causes the vast majority of skin cancer deaths
Who
One of the most common cancers in people younger than 30