Protecting Your Skin

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The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Yet, some of us don’t consider the necessity of protecting our skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five people will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. Research shows that one person dies of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, every hour. To help protect you and your loved ones, here are six tips on how you can protect your skin!

6  Safety Tips to Protect your Skin

Everyone can enjoy the summer months as long as you take precautions and use these tips to help protect your skin.

1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, and more sunscreen!
-Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before heading out.  This is how long it takes for the SPF to sink into your skin.
-If you’re enjoying water activities, be sure to reapply your sunscreen frequently.
-Pay attention to expiration dates.  Sunscreens lose their effectiveness after a year.

2. Drink plenty of water!
-Keeping yourself hydrated is helping in protecting yourself from getting a sunburn.

3. Pick the right clothing
-What you wear outside can affect your risk of skin cancer. When heading out, wear lightweight but densely woven fabrics.
-Don’t forget to grab a hat! Hats, especially with wide-brims, which will help keep the sun off of your face.
-Another accessory is glasses. The sun’s rays can be damaging to your eyes, too. Always wear sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection to protect your eyes whenever heading out.
-Remember to put sunscreen on when wearing sandals, as your feet are often neglected!

4. Avoiding peak sun hours
-The sun is most active between 10 am and 4 pm. If you go outside during the summer heat, try to limit the activity to the morning and the evening, when the temperature is lower, and the sun is less intense.

5. Review your medications
-Since many of us use medications, we all know that there can be side effects. Certain drugs will cause phototoxicity, which will increase your skin’s sensitivity. Please review all medications and check with a doctor or pharmacist for any questions.

6. Visit your Dermatologist and Self-Exams
-During the summer months, you should conduct a self-exam at least once a month.  Whenever you’re performing a self-exam, use these tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation to conduct a step-by-step inspection. Don’t forget to schedule a trip to see your dermatologist at least once a year.

Sunburns are not immediately apparent.  While it only takes about 10 minutes for the sun to start burning your skin, the redness won’t begin to show up between 3-5 hours after being in the sun.   With these tips, everyone can enjoy the warm weather.