Cancer and Healthy

The number one cause of skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet light (the sun). The number one way to prevent skin cancer is to reduce exposure to ultraviolet light. Eliminating it entirely would be better, but we really can't do that, and some sunlight is good for us - even necessary. Having darkly tanned skin is a symbol of health, vitality, and youthfulness today, but it is a very dangerous symbol to acquire unless you take sun-safety measures, and you use those sun-safety methods every single time you are outdoors.

There is a catchy saying that is often used to help people remember to take sun-safety measures. The catchy saying is, "Slip! Slop! Slap! Wrap!" "Slip" on a shirt. "Slop on sunscreen." "Slap" on a hat. "Wrap" on sunglasses. That is very good advice.

It is important to avoid direct sunlight altogether between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM. These are the hours when the sun's rays are the most intense.

Simply covering skin could prevent hundreds of thousands of cases of skin cancer. Skimpy bikinis are, without a question, sexy and attention-getting, but skimpy bikinis worn in direct sunlight dramatically increase the chances of getting skin cancer later in life.

Using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 just makes good sense. You wouldn't drive or ride in a car without a seat belt. You wouldn't eat food that was loaded in saturated fat. You wouldn't take up smoking cigarettes. You wouldn't do these things because they increase your risk of injury, disease, and death. So why would you go out into direct sunlight without applying protection to your skin?

A hat with a 3" brim will protect the skin on your neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose and scalp.

Wearing wraparound sunglasses with a 99% UV absorption rating provides the best protecting for the skin around your eyes.