BEING SMART ABOUT SUN EXPOSURE
CAN SAVE YOUR SKIN FROM IRREPARABLE DAMAGE
by Nicole Niemiec

Do you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially during the summer? Then you should consider the following facts about exposure to the sun and skin cancer:

• Prolonged and excessive exposure to the sun significantly increases your chances of certain
  types of skin cancer.
• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States
• Regular use of sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher during the first 18 years of life can lower the risk of certain types of skin cancer by up to 78%
• Even on cloudy days, your skin is exposed to harmful sun radiation: 80% of the sun’s rays can penetrate light clouds, mist and fog and go straight to your skin.
• The National Cancer Institute estimates that 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have at least one episode of skin cancer.

According to the the Skin Cancer Foundation (www.skincancer.org), the most effective ways to reduce your exposure to the sun include the following:

-         Do not sunbathe.

-         Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, especially between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, the peak hours for harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

-         When outdoors, use sunscreens rated SPF 15 or higher.

-         Apply them liberally, uniformly, and frequently (especially after swimming or sweating).

-         When exposed to sunlight, wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses.

-         Stay away from artificial tanning devices.

-         Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age: The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

-         Examine your skin head to toe at least once every 3 months.

The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number on sunscreens indicates how many times longer a person can stay in the sun before beginning to burn, when using sunscreen, than they would have without using sunscreen at all. In fact, you should put sunscreen on at any time of year when you go outside: not only do the sun's rays penetrate in cloudy days, but the sun also reflects off snow, concrete, sand, and water to make the rays even more penetrating to your skin.

Sunglasses are important because they block harmful UV rays from being absorbed by your eyes and areas around your eyes which is an important factor in causing both benign and malignant growths on the eyelid skin and on the surface of the eye. Make sure you purchase a pair that blocks out UV radiation.

People with the following characteristics are most at risk: those who always burn, never tan, and are fair with red or blonde hair, green or blue eyes and freckles

Nicole Niemiec is an occupational therapist with 10 years of experience working with patients of all ages and illnesses. Nicole has seen firsthand how poor health habits can affect your body. She developed her site, http://www.healthy-insights.com to provide information to assist you with leading a healthy lifestyle in order to enhance and prolong your quality of life.