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Use Sunscreen, Don't Get Burned

By: Joanne | July 08, 2008 | Category: Health

In the past, I didn’t think too much about sun exposure; as long as I didn’t suffer a really terrible burn, I felt like everything was fine. Then a few years ago my father died of skin cancer and the reality of sun exposure and skin damage began to sink in. It’s summertime and we’re all spending more time outdoors – at the pool, the beach, the garden or just playing in the yard, so now’s a good time to be thinking about our skin.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 60,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin this year. That’s a lot of people and if you’re like me and don’t want to become a statistic, you’ve got to protect yourself every day.

There are lots of ways to protect your skin from the damaging UVA and UVB rays of the sun. The most obvious way to protect your skin is to apply sunscreen. Be sure to use a sunscreen with an appropriate SPF (sun protection factor) and be sure to apply it early and often. Sunscreen blocks the sun’s harmful rays. Other things you can do are cover your skin with clothing, wear a hat, and stay in the shade. And don’t forget to protect your eyes and wear sunglasses that filter UV rays.

So this summer when you’re heading outside, sing this little song and do the sunscreen dance.

| Comments [3] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: burn   cancer   joanne   skin   sun   sunscreen  

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I THINK THE BEST WAY TO BEAT SKIN CANCER AND TERRIBLE BURNS IS NOT LYING TO OUR SELFS AND OTHERS THAT SUNSCREEN IS THE SAVE ALL TO SKIN PROBLEMS. NO! TOO MUCH SUN PEOPLE IS TOO MUCH SUN. WE HAVE TO LIMIT OUR TIME TO TOO MUCH DIRECT SUN EXPOSURE NO MATER WHAT WE PUT ON OUR SKIN. WE NEED TO CONSULT WITH OUR SKIN DOCTOR AND GET SOME AVERAGE TIME OUR SKIN TYPE SHOULD BE OUT IN THE SUN PER DAY AND MANAGE OUR TIME ACCURATELY. OVER EXPOSURE TO THE SUN IS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE GET TERRIBLE BURNS!!!! WE HAVE TO LEARN TO MANAGE THE EXPOSURE BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY...


YVETTE IN MICHGIAN

Posted by managing the exposure on July 08, 2008 at 03:16 PM EDT #

It's true, managing the exposure, the less we expose ourselves the better off we'll be. The guidance on sun exposure is a little complicated because you have pay attention to the UV index (which changes from day to day) and react accordingly.

The EPA (Environmental Protetion Agency) has a nifty tool on their website where you can enter your zip code and it will give you the UV index forecast, and then advise you on appropriate precautions. I can't create a link in my comment, but copy and paste this url into your browser to check it out:
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html

Posted by Joanne on July 08, 2008 at 04:25 PM EDT #

Some medications may make you more sensitive to sunlight, resulting in a bad sunburn. And if you're taking birth control pills, sun exposure can cause skin discoloration. Even if you've been fine before, you can still develop a reaction. http://www.americanhighstand.com/

Posted by xabier on July 12, 2008 at 08:34 PM EDT #

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