Preventing Skin Cancer Treatment with Sun Safety

Keep Yourself Safe In The Sun

Sun Safety

Are you being sun 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!

Source: Thomas Leveritt

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.

1.

Wear Sunscreen Daily

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.

Don’t Forget

Always be sure to reapply your sunscreen at least every 2 hours, and after swimming, sweating or drying off.

2.

Limit Your Sun Exposure

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.

Shade Is Your Friend

Seek shade when possible whether its from an umbrella, tree or shelter. And remember, water and sand both are excellent sun reflectors which increase your your risk of sunburn.

3.

Wear Protective Clothing, Sunglasses and Hats

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.

Protect Your Skin By Wearing Clothing
With A UPF Label

UPF, which stands for ultraviolet protection factor, appears on various labels for clothing and hats. This number is important because it indicates what fraction of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate the fabric.

Example: A shirt labeled UPF 50 allows just 1/50th of the UV radiation to reach your skin.

4.

Avoid Tanning Beds

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.

5.

Schedule Your Annual Skin Exam

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

Source: American Academy of Dermatology

What to Look For?

Use this ABCDE chart below to help you quickly and more easily identify any changes in your moles and make an appointment to see our team.

Asymmetry:

When half of the mole does not match the other half

Border:

When the border (edges) of the mole are ragged or irregular

Color:

When the color of the mole varies throughout

Diameter:

If the mole’s diameter is larger than a pencil’s eraser

Evolving:

Changes in the way the mole looks over time

The Importance of Early Detection

There’s one thing our team wants to share and that’s asking you to please make it a habit to regularly check your body from head to toe once a month. It’s easy to begin, just become familiar with the types of spots you have so that you will know if a spot changes or you have one that just doesn’t look right. And, it will only take a few minutes every month.