Ten Tips for Saving Your Skin
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin
cancer is the most common cancer in the
U.S. The odds of developing it increase with
age. Other risk factors include having fair
skin that freckles, a family history of skin
cancer and more than 50 moles. But the
most preventable cause of skin cancer is
excessive sun exposure. Here are 10 tips to
protect yourself:
- Limit sun exposure when it’s brightest out, between 10 am and 4 pm.
- Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
- Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply it every two hours.
- Spread sunscreen on your nose, ears, neck, hands and the tops of your feet. Also, cover any bald areas on your scalp. Wear a lip balm that contains sunscreen.
- Use sunscreen year-round.
- Wear wraparound sunglasses.
- Choose tightly woven clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
- Wear a hat that has at least a 6-inch brim all the way around.
- Be especially mindful about sun protection if you take medicine that boosts sun sensitivity, such as antidepressants, many antibiotics, diuretics and antihistamines.
- Skip tanning booths, which also produce damaging ultraviolet rays.
