(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Welcome to summer, the season of fun in the sun!  Skin cancer is a serious public health problem in the US; it is the most common form of cancer with 1/5 Americans having some form during their lifetime!  Read on to determine risky behaviors to quit and things you can do to prevent skin cancer this summer.  Don’t just rush outside all day on the first nice day either because intense & intermittent sun exposure is actually WORSE than the same amount of sun as a steady dosage (think indoor working and dwelling human outside all Memorial Day weekend vs. outdoor worker)

Risk factors:

• UV light including the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps
• Cigarette smoking
• Large/multiple moles
• Light skin/eye/hair color

Prevention:

• Decrease sun exposure…especially for those under age 24
• Use sunscreen, and reapply regularly!
• Higher SPF does NOT mean that you can stay out longer
• Use a sunscreen with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide because they block UVB, UVA 1, and UVA 2
• Wear a hat
• Wear sun protective clothing instead of going shirtless or in just your swimsuit.
• Limit your time in the sun…especially during peak hours 10-2

More info:

• Skin Cancer Foundation
• Guide to safe sunscreens (and the not so safe)