With all of this nice weather, I’m definitely in the mood to spend most of my time outside! However, all of that beautiful sunshine can be real trouble for my skin if I’m not careful.
May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month and I thought now would be a great time to talk about proper way to protect yourself against the most common form of cancer in the United States – skin cancer. Below are some simple steps to follow to keep your skin healthy.
Stay out of the sun.
Especially when the sun is at its strongest, usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you do have to go out into the sun, practice the following:
- Wear a hat and sunglasses
- Try to walk or sit in the shade
- Use sunscreen everyday
- Do your activities during the “off peak” times of the sun
- Avoid tanning and tanning booths. It’s better to be pale then have skin cancer. Look at me – I’m as pale as can be and proud of it! Use a self tanner if you must.
Use sunscreen.
There are a couple of things to consider when using sunscreen:
- Most sunscreen protects against UV-B rays. However, you also need to be protected against the UV-A rays. Look for a sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone or ecamsule. And always wear at least a sunscreen with SPF 15.
- Apply sunscreen liberally and often. Depending on the size of the person, generally use two tablespoons for the entire body about 30 minutes before venturing out into the sun. If you are going to be directly in the sun, swimming or exercising, reapply every two hours.
- Make sure to get new sunscreen each summer. I found this out the hard way a few years back. Sunscreen actually does expire. If your sunscreen is not new, it might not be protecting you and could leave you with a nasty burn.
Check yourself for skin cancer.
Using a mirror, check over every inch of your body including the soles of your feet and your scalp. Look for a mole, beauty mark or brown spot that changes in color and size, is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser or is asymmetrical.
And as always, keep newborns out of the sun! Sunscreen should only be used on babies six months and older.
For more information on healthy skin, visit http://www.skincancer.org/