Remembering Sun Safety for Long Summer Days

Longer days means summer is approaching! Along with the warmer temperatures, extended sun exposure is welcomed by many. While summer days bring fun outdoor activities, it’s important to keep sun safety in mind to help reduce the risk of developing skin cancer.

There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Anyone can develop skin cancer regardless of their skin color or ethnicity.

Since skin cancer symptoms can vary depending on the type of skin cancer and its location on the body. It is important to keep an eye on new spots or sudden changes to the appearance of the size, shape or color of an existing spot.

Other symptoms can include a spot that is itchy or painful, a non-healing sore that bleeds or develops a crust, a red or skin-colored shiny bump on the top of the skin, a red rough or scaly spot you can feel, a wart-like growth, or a scar-like growth without a well-defined border.

Of the three most common types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive. Melanoma skin cancer has a rapid growth rate, which is what makes it so dangerous; it can turn life-threatening in just six weeks and poses a high risk of spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.

Skin cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages, though symptoms can appear at any point. Because of this, it is important to do regular skin self-evaluations and get annual skin checks performed by a dermatologist.

It is important to remember that you can get skin cancer anywhere on the skin — from the scalp to the bottoms of the feet. Even if the area gets little sun, it’s possible for skin cancer to develop there.

Sun Safety Tips

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. With current estimates that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, it is important to take precautions to limit the amount of ultraviolet radiation exposure to the skin.

Avoid the sun when possible, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when ultraviolet light is at its strongest. If you must be out in the sun, liberally apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or greater. Re-apply sunscreen every two hours or more if you are sweating or swimming. Sunscreen should also be used throughout the entire year, not just in the summer.

Other ways to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer include avoiding tanning beds, wearing ultraviolet blocking sunglasses to protect from eye damage and wearing clothes that reduce the amount of exposed skin such as hats, long pants and long sleeves.