Skin cancer: Protecting your skin
How do I protect my skin from UV radiation and skin cancer?
Avoiding skin cancer can be as simple as protecting your skin and taking a good look at it regularly. While sunscreen plays a vital role in protecting your skin from UV radiation, it cannot prevent skin damage if you are exposed to the sun's rays for long periods of time. Experts recommend that you use multiple methods to fully protect your skin.
Protect your skin
- Stay out of the sun during the peak hours of UV radiation, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wear protective clothing:
- Wide-brimmed hats that protect the face and neck
- Tightly-woven clothing made of thick material, such as unbleached cotton, polyester, wool, or silk
- Dark clothing with dyes added that help absorb UV radiation
- Loose-fitting long-sleeved clothing that covers as much of the skin as possible
- Clothing that has sun protection factor (SPF) in the fabric that does not wash out
- Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, summer and winter, on both cloudy and clear days:
- SPF of 11 offers minimal protection.
- SPF of 12 to 29 offers moderate protection.
- SPF of 30 and above offers high protection.
- Apply sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB radiation to all exposed skin, including lips, ears, back of the hands, and neck. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going in the sun, and reapply it every 2 hours and after swimming, exercising, or sweating.
- Wear wraparound sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation.
- Be careful when you are on sand, snow, or water, because these surfaces can reflect 85% of the sun's rays.
- Avoid artificial sources of UVA radiation, including sunlamps and tanning booths. Like the sun, they can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer.
A child's skin is more sensitive to the sun than an adult's skin and is more easily burned. Babies younger than 6 months should always be completely shielded from the sun. Children 6 months and older should wear sunscreen whenever they are exposed to the sun. Teach children the ABCs of how to protect their skin from sunburns:
- Away: Stay away from the sun in the middle of the day.
- Block: Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher to protect sensitive skin.
- Cover up: Wear clothing that covers the skin, with hats on heads and sunglasses with UV protection over eyes.
- Speak out: Teach others to protect their skin from sun damage.
Know the ABCDs of early detection
Skin cancer can be cured if found and treated early. If it is not discovered or treated until too late, it can spread throughout the body and may be fatal. Skin cancer often appears on the trunk of men and on the legs of women. Learn your ABCDs, the changes in a mole or skin growth that are warning signs of melanoma:
- Asymmetry
: One half doesn't match the other half.
- Border irregularity
- Color
- Diameter
Get to know your skin
Skin cancer, including melanoma, is curable if spotted early. A careful skin exam may identify suspicious growths that may be cancer or growths that may develop into skin cancer (precancers).
- Examine your skin once every month. Get to know your moles and birthmarks, and look for any abnormal skin growth and any change in the color, shape, size, or appearance of a skin growth.
- Check for any area of skin that does not heal after an injury.
- Have your health professional check your skin during any other health exams. Most experts recommend having your skin examined at least once a year.
- Bring any suspicious skin growths or changes in a mole to the attention of your health professional.
Test Your Knowledge
Now that you know the steps to protecting your skin, see if you understand how to make it work for you.
A suntan is a sign of good health.
You can avoid the damaging rays from the sun by getting a tan in a tanning booth.
If you are going to be out in the sun for a lengthy period of time, sunscreen is the best protection for your skin.
It is more damaging to the skin to experience long hours in the sun than to have briefer exposures when the sun is particularly intense.
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| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: January 11, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Randall D. Burr, MD - Dermatology | |
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