Prevent Skin Cancer During California’s Summer

Prevent Skin Cancer in the warm California Summers, keep in mind the importance of skin cancer prevention. In fact, it’s not just Summer you should be worried about; protecting yourself from Ultraviolet Radiation (UV) should be year-round.

UV rays from our hot, blazing sun can reach you on gloomy and hazy days, just as well as bright and sunny days. Most people tend to forget that UV rays do reflect off of many surrounding surfaces like cement, sand, snow, and even water.

If you think indoor tanning may be a safer solution to keeping up with the bronze, think twice! No matter if it’s a booth, sunlamp, or a tanning bed, indoor tanning can emit about 12 times more than tanning under the natural sunlight.

What time frame is best to avoid harmful UV rays and prevent skin cancer? Studies have shown the hours between 10 AM to 4 PM give off the most heat and UV exposure in the US.

UV rays from the Sun are greatest during early summer and late in the spring season for those in North America.

What are some of the ways I can prevent Skin Cancer?

Since the discovery of skin cancer in the 1970s The Skin Cancer Foundation has always encouraged the use of SPF 15+ Sunscreen as one of the most important parts of a safe sun-protection technique. However, sunscreen alone is just not enough!

Read our full list of skin cancer prevention tips and tricks:

• Stay under the shade, especially during hot-zone times from 10 AM to 4 PM
• Do not burn! We’ve all been there. Falling asleep on the beach, soaking up the sun for a nice bronze and find ourselves waking up an hour later, only to realize you now have the worst sunburn of your life. Try avoiding sunburns by keeping yourself entertained with music, magazines, or a fun game of Candy Crush on your phone. If you do get burnt, apply for aloe vera sunburn relief immediately. Aloe vera is widely known as the “burn plant,” the ideal natural remedy for sunburn.
• Prevent the UV rays from ever reaching your skin by wearing clothing that covers your arms and legs. This may be hard for those who live in California during the summer. If so, consider wearing thin leggings or cut-off jeans/capris.
• Accessorize your outfit. Try baseball caps, wide-brimmed hats, a visor or sunglasses.
• Apply about 1 ounce of SPF 15 or higher to your entire body 30-minutes before going outdoors. Remember to reapply every couple of hours or immediately if you have finished swimming or excessive sweating.
• Keep your kids out of the heat! Sunscreens should also be used properly on babies, toddlers, and children.
• Stay alert – Every month, examine your skin from head-to-toe. Look for any changes in freckles, moles, or color changes.

Hair & Skin Protection

Summer is in full swing and that means you’ll be spending a lot more time in the sun. Having a great base tan is a noble pursuit; however, you want to make sure you are protecting your sensitive skin and hair.

Skin cancer is the most prolific cancer in the US, and women under the age of 39 have a higher rate of developing it in it’s most serious form over any other invasive cancer except breast cancer.

According to skincancer.org

• More than 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer were treated in over 3.3 million people in the U.S. in 2012, the most recent year new statistics were available.1
• More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined.2
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.3

Those are scary statistics, but stats are also the last thing on your mind when you’re planning to get to the beach or a pool party so make sure to develop healthy habits.

Skin Protection

Spending time in the sun after a gloomy winter and spring is a good thing. Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for our body and is produced when our skin is exposed to sunlight.

However, exposing your skin to sunlight for too long can cause serious health risks like painful sunburns and skin cancer. You want to take certain precautions when you are planning to spend more than thirty minutes in direct sunlight.

A tan, no matter which way you spin it, is caused by excessive Ultra Violet (UV) rays that have caused cell damage. Avoid tanning beds at all costs! Tanning beds might be a quick fix for that tan you so desperately want, but do not make a habit out of using tanning salons!

Hair Damage

Your hair is susceptible to permanent damage as well when exposed to much sunlight. If your hair has been exposed to the sun, UVB and UVA rays can damage the outside cover of your hair strands – the cuticle.

Sun damage comes in the form of discoloration, dry and brittle hair, broken or split ends, frizziness and thinning. Sun Damaged hair has a dry and look and feel as well.

To prevent hair damage try these best practices

1. Try updating your look with a hat. A nice assortment of big hats is the best (and easiest) investment for your skin. …
2. If hats are too much, go with zinc oxide. …
3. Treat your hair like your skin when it comes to sunscreen. …
4. Use a natural oil for sun protection.

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