Playing It Safe In The Sun
As summer approaches, most Nebraskans look forward to spending time outdoors. However, as we soak up the rays, many of us do not consider that we are putting ourselves at risk for skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States.
Scientists estimate that one in seven people in the U.S. will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime.
Approximately 9,000 Americans die from skin cancer each year. Most of these deaths are caused by malignant melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Unfortunately, cases of malignant melanoma have been increasing over time.
While most people associate skin cancer with people who sunbathe, skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of race or skin color. Of course, certain individuals are at a greater risk than others.
Skin cancer is more common in people with fair or light-colored skin, those with a family history of skin cancer, and people such as farmers who spend a lot of time outdoors working in the sun.
Repeated exposure to the sun over a long period of time is a major factor in the development of skin cancer. People who were severely sunburned as children also experience higher skin cancer rates.
So how can you protect yourself?
- Stay out of the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are most damaging. Try to arrange outside activities around these times and seek as much shade as possible during these midday hours. Don’t forget that you can burn on a cloudy day!
- Wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. It is best to wear dark clothes made of closely woven fabrics. Light colored clothes may be washed in detergents with fabric brighteners to improve their protection against the sun.
- Wear a sun-safe hat. Baseball caps do not protect vulnerable areas on your ears, face, or neck from the sun, so try to choose a more appropriate hat. Try a wide-brimmed hat (preferably a three-inch brim) made of tightly woven fabric.
- Wear sunglasses. Even the most effective hats can block only 50 percent of the ultraviolet rays that reach the eyes, so be sure to wear sunglasses as well. Select wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV radiation protection.
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30. Read the label to know when to reapply sunscreen, whether it is waterproof, and when it expires.
- Do NOT use tanning beds or sun lamps. A study by the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University confirmed the danger of tanning beds. It concluded that even short-term tanning in salons was just as harmful as the sun's rays and caused enough damage to trigger skin cancer.
- Finally, check your skin every month for abnormal or changing areas, especially moles, and have them examined by your doctor. Use a mirror or ask a family member to check areas you cannot see.
Whether at work or play, your bottom line is to be safe in the sun and aware of its risks. Make it a habit to protect yourself from the sun!
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