Skin Cancer: Prevention

Publicity to ultraviolet (UV) rays is the most important danger issue for pores and skin most cancers. UV rays come from the solar and from sunlamps and tanning beds. There are 2 forms of UV rays that may attain and harm your pores and skin: UVA and UVB.

Right here’s what you are able to do to assist scale back your danger of pores and skin most cancers:

• Restrict your publicity to the solar between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. That is when UV rays are strongest. Keep within the shade for those who’re exterior throughout this time.

• Apply a beneficiant quantity of sunscreen 15 to half-hour earlier than you go exterior. Use a waterproof, broad-spectrum sunscreen with a solar safety issue (SPF) of at the very least 30. Broad-spectrum means the sunscreen protects towards each UVA and UVB rays. Apply it to all areas of your physique that might be uncovered to the solar. Do not forget your ft, neck, ears, and the highest of your head.

• Use lip balm that has an SPF of at the very least 30.

• Reapply sunscreen each 2 hours, even on cloudy days. Additionally reapply each hour after swimming or sweating.

• Verify the expiration date in your sunscreen to ensure it is nonetheless efficient. Do not use sunscreen that has expired.

• Put on clothes that covers your physique and shades your face. Put on a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a wide-brimmed hat. Hats ought to present shade for the face, ears, and again of the neck. For even higher safety, put on clothes with UPF (ultraviolet safety issue).

• Put on sun shades with a UV coating. The label ought to say 100% UVA/UVB safety). This may scale back the quantity of UV rays that attain the attention. And it’ll shield your eyelids and the attention itself.

• Don’t use sunlamps or tanning beds.