Reduce Your Risk for Skin Cancer
Well, summer is upon us and that means the hot sun is also upon us. Before you don that bikini for a long day at the beach, think about the skin you’re in – it’s the only one you have! Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, but here are some ways to lower your risk.
You can never get enough sun – is a lie. The top risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to sunlight (UV radiation) and those UV rays can damage your skin in less than 15 minutes. And if you’ve spent years in the sun, and/or had at least one severe sunburn – one where even wearing clothes is painful – your risk of skin cancer is even higher.
That being said, you’re obviously going to have to go outside sometimes. The worst time for UV exposure is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so if you’re running errands around midday, stick to the shade. You can also create your own shade: carry an umbrella or wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your head and neck. Although it might be sweltering hot, you should wear proper clothes to keep your bare skin from getting burnt. Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and long pants made from tightly woven fabric work best, even if they sound incredibly uncomfortable. For a finishing touch of sun-safe style, wear wrap-around sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB.
Don’t think it’s safe to go skinny dipping just because there’s cloud cover. UV rays can still reach you on hazy days and they reflect off surfaces like water and sand. You’re not even safe in your own car: the sun’s rays can penetrate windshields and windows. Also, a wet T-shirt offers less UV protection than a dry one, but a dry T-shirt still only has less than a 15 SPF rating – which won’t save your skin. That means if you think you’re going to be in the sun, you should take two whole minutes to put on a thick layer of minimum 15 SPF sunscreen. Reapply the sunscreen every two hours or if you get wet.
Finally, everyone should know by now that indoor tanning is NOT any safer than being out in the sun. Sunlamps and tanning booths expose you to UV radiation, which causes skin damage and skin cancer, and getting fake tans is more dangerous before age 30. Don’t believe it? The NCI reports that women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Why do you want to look orange anyways?
Perhaps most importantly, you should get to know yourself. A regular self-exam of your whole body will let you see what’s normal on your skin, so you know when something abnormal shows up. That could be anything from a new mole to an old mole changing size to a sore that doesn’t heal. If you do notice anything, visit your doctor. Take a little extra time to pamper your skin this summer so you can enjoy the sun for years to come!
A Word on your Summer Safety!
Sufen Wang, M.S.Accountancy,
Wang Solutions, Long Beach, CA (562) 856-0793.
Editor: Hannah Huff, M.F.A. Creative Writing: Poetry, (562) 806-5805
Wang Solutions 