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The Harvard
Center for Cancer Prevention states we can prevent half of all cancers
by modifiying our own actions. One of the top seven actions we can
do to prevent skin cancer is to protect ourselves and our children
from the sun.
To Be Sun Sensible
you need to THINK sun sensibly. ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SUN EXPOSURE
AND SKIN CANCER PREVENTION?
- Do you believe
a person with a tan is more attractive than a person who is pale?
- Do you think
one or two bad sunburns is no big deal?
- Do you feel
like skin cancer is something that only happens to others?
To Be Sun Sensible
you need to ACT sun sensibly. ARE YOU PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR
CHILDREN FROM SUN EXPOSURE AND SKIN CANCER?
- Do you routinely
put sunscreen on your children? How often do you give in to your
children's complaints when applying that sunscreen?
- Do you insist that your children and their friends wear hats and other sun protective clothing when in your care?
- Do you minimize
your time in the sun when its rays are strongest-between 10 am
and 2 pm?
- Do you seek
the shade?
- Do you sunbathe
or visit tanning salons?
- Do you dress
sun sensibly?
- Do you examine
your skin systematically and regularly?
- Do you see
a dermatologist each year?
- Do you encourage
others to act sun sensibly?
Here is how
YOU can THINK and ACT to significantly lower your risk of melanoma
and skin cancer.
Sunscreen
Make sunscreen part of your morning routine. Use a broad spectrum
sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. This means using an SPF 30+
sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays by containing either
titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or Parsol 1789® (commonly known as
avobenzene or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane). Apply sunscreen liberally
at least 30 minutes before going outside so that it can be absorbed
properly. Reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially if you are
swimming, sweating, or in the sand. Start putting sunscreen on your
children as early as six months of age.
Children under six months of age should not be put in situations where sunscreen is required. When children under six months of age are outside, use physical sunblockers like sun protective clothing and shade structures to protect them from the sun's harmful rays.
Sun Minimization
Limit outdoor activities when the sun's rays are strongest-between
the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (standard time). Seek the shade
wherever possible. Beware of surfaces like snow, water, light sand,
and concrete that can reflect 85% of the sun's damaging rays. Steer
clear of tanning salons.
Dress Sun
Sensibly
Cover Up. Wear protective, tightly woven clothing, a wide-brimmed
hat and sunglasses with UV protective lenses. To assess the sun-protective
qualities of clothing hold the fabric up to the light and see how
much light passes through. (More light passing through means less
sun protection.) Dark colors are better than light because they
absorb the light rather than reflect it. Remember wet clothes lose
almost all of their sun-protective qualities. A hat with a brim
of at least 4 inches guards your face, neck and ears. Sunglasses
protect your eyes and eyelids.
Skin Self
Exam
Get to know your skin, the largest organ in your body. Establish
a monthly skin exam routine. Spot your dots and remember the ABCDEs:
Assymetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Enlargement. Growing, bleeding,
itching, and quickly changing spots could indicate a problem. Consult
a physician as soon as possible.
An Annual
Visit to a Dermatologist
Go to a dermatologist once a year to have your skin checked out
by a professional and to answer any questions that you might have.
Speaking
Up
Share what you know about skin cancer prevention with others. Do
your part to help others think and act sun sensibly.
The American
Cancer Society, The Skin Cancer Foundation, and The American Academy
of Dermatology each recommend a personal comprehensive sun protection
program to prevent melanoma and skin cancer. They all agree:SUN
PROTECTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Remember: Sunscreen is only part of a total sun protection program.
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