As you all know excessive exposure to the sun or ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer. Some people are more susceptible to getting skin cancer because of family history, severe sunburns, abnormal moles, or fair freckled skin. Others alos believe that since they are using tanning lotions or oils, that they are protecting themselves. They aren't! They are making themselves more prone to cancer because those products attract the sun more.
Using protection against the sun with sunblock is very helpful, but just remember to buy sunblock with at least 30spf and one that protects against UVA AND UVB rays as they are both very harmful. Getting regular check ups from your dermatologist if there is a history of cancer, you have fair skin or many moles is also a great way to protect yourself.
Other ways to protect your skin are wearing wide brimmed hats that protect the face and neck, wear wram around sunglasses and don't go for sunscreen that has less that 30 spf as I previously mentioned.
If you're wondering why it is necessary to protect your skin, you may not have known that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and the easiest to contract. Most skin cancers are easily seen and can be cured before it spreads and gets worse.
Here are the ABCDE's of early protection:
Asymmetry
Border Irregularity
Color
Diameter
Evolution
So always wear sunscreen and wear protective clothing when you are out in the sun. Applying sunscreen 30 mins prior to sun exposure is the best way to aviod the rays, and reapplying after sweating and swimming are a must!
I think that you post is definetly critical information for anyone who is planning to spend time in the sun this fall. It is important to remember that just because it is not summer and it is ont hot out the risk of skin cancer still exists. It is also important to note that the people who are at the highest risk for skin cancer are children and adolescents. This may be decieveing because you never hear of this population etting skin cancer, but high exposure to ultraviolet rays as a child greatly increases your susceptibility to skin cancer later in life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post, I think for most of us, atleast me anyways, I know the risks of skin cancer but i tend to ignore them during high school i was a lifeguard for 4 summers and i almost never wore sun screen and earlier this year i had a mole taken off because it was precancerous and i told myself i would never go out in the sun again without sun screen, but low and behold 4th of july weekend i fell asleep on the beach for 3 hours and got fried. I guess its just something that needs to be drilled into our heads, or will finally learn when something serious comes of it.
ReplyDeleteSo true about protecting yourself. Sometimes you don't even realize the damage you do to your skin even when not tanning intentionally. I worked out doors the last two summers, and was nearly black by the end of them just because of going to work. I especially have to be careful because I have several moles (more than you all want to know I'm sure...haha). What a lot of people don't know is sometimes moles also grow under the skin. I had one the size of a nickel removed that was actually spread out under over an inch unseen under the skin...
ReplyDeleteSunscrean to me has always been a hastle because normally when i am in the sun i am on my boat jumping in and out of the water, skiing or tubing an such. and i'm not going to lie, to re apply after everytime i get out of the water becomes a non reality. i have been known to come out of the weekend beat red and i get yelled at by my mom...it is something i'll have to work on.
ReplyDelete