May Recognized as Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), it is America’s most common type of cancer. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. Thankfully, skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. By sharing facts about how to protect your skin, we all can be a part of saving lives.

According to SCF, facts about skin cancer include:

• Two people die of skin cancer every hour.
• Main causes of skin cancer are ultraviolet rays of the sun and using indoor bed, booth or sunlamp to tan.
• If you’ve experienced more than five sunburns, your risk for melanoma doubles.

As shared by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), protection from ultraviolet radiation is important all year round, not just during the summer. UV rays from the sun can reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays also reflect off surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. Indoor tanning (using a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp to get tan) exposes users to UV radiation.

The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. are the most hazardous for UV exposure in the United States. CDC recommends easy options for protection from UV radiation:

• Stay in the shade, especially during midday hours.
• Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays.
• Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB (broad spectrum) protection.
• Avoid indoor tanning.