Summer is in full swing and with the warm weather luring us outdoors we often forget how much time we're spending in the sun and for us Californians, that's most of the year.The summer season is a great time to enjoy outdoor activities and build up your levels of Vitamin D but before you head out the door to soak up the sun, make sure you're following the right steps to keep your skin healthy all summer long.
Whether you're biking, swimming, running, gardening or even driving your car, you are putting yourself at risk for the most common type of cancer in the United States. Over 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer (squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma) are diagnosed each year. UV radiation is the most important factor in the development of skin cancer with more than 90% of skin lesions (non-melanoma type) occurring in sun-exposed areas.
The amount of sun exposure a person receives is dependent not only on how much time they spend in the sun but also on the time of day, geographical location, and weather conditions.
UV radiation that reaches the earth's surface is most intense at the equator due to the angle of the sun's rays. It is not surprising then that the incidence of skin cancer is higher near the equator. How close you are in proximity to the equator determines how strong of an exposure you have to UV radiation. Therefore, Southern California residents have greater overall exposure to UV radiation.
Be Sun Smart - follow the guidelines below to protect your skin from sunburn, wrinkles and skin cancer:
Slather on the sunscreen
Sunscreen is a great first line of defense against the sun's damaging effects on your skin. But how do you know how much protection you are getting from your sunscreen and what does SPF mean anyway?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and measures a sunscreen's protection against Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Keep in mind that both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage so you want to choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against both types of UV radiation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF of 15 or higher. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection from sunburn caused by UVB rays. A higher SPF does not mean you can stay in the sun longer. For instance, an SPF of 15 filters out about 93% of the UVB rays and an SPF of 30 filters out 97% of the UVB rays. After several hours the protective effects of sunscreen begin to wear off so it should be reapplied about every 2 hours especially if you are sweating, engaged in water activities, in a humid climate, and drying or rubbing your skin with a towel.
Since no sunscreen can completely block UV rays, it is important to follow other methods of sun protection:
- Avoid the sun during peak hours (10am-4pm) when UV rays are strongest and therefore most damaging.
- Cover up your skin with a long-sleeved shirt, pants, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses
How to tell if that suspicious looking skin lesion is worth making a trip to the dermatologist:
4 square pic
A = Asymmetry: cancerous lesions are typically irregular in shape
B = Border irregularity: cancerous lesions tend to have uneven borders rather than smooth and round
C = Color: cancerous lesions usually have multiple shades of brown or black
D = Diameter equal to or greater than 1/4 inch or 6mm: benign moles are usually less than 6mm in diameter
E = Elevated: cancerous lesions often grow in size or change in height rapidly
For more information on skin cancer prevention, visit http://www.emilysfoundation.org.a/skincancer_abcde.php
To find out about the health plans offered at Ocean Pacific Integrative Health Center, please call our office at 760-944-9300 or visit our website at http://opintegrativecenter.com.
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