Practice Safe Sun and Prevent Skin Cancer

Although skin cancer usually happens to Caucasians, those who work outside, smokers and people with a family history of skin cancer, everybody is at risk these days as the statistics demonstrate. Cases of skin cancer have doubled every 10 years over the last 40 years and we need to take action to keep it from happening to us.

Two of the types of skin cancers are very lethal if left too late and it is therefore crucial to follow the tips that will be provided, that are in part sourced from the world's largest healthcare organization, NHS Direct Online.

The best way to protect your skin against cancer is to take care in the sun. Take preventative action and avoid burning the skin. Cover up with loose fitting clothes, because the damage is done the minute the skin has been burned by the sun.

In addition to skin cancer, heat stroke is another serious health concern caused by overexposure to the sun. You can help to prevent heat stroke by wearing loose-fitting clothes and drinking plenty of water to replace what's lost through perspiration. Be sure to cover your arms and legs if possible.

Tightly woven fabrics will provide the best protection from the sun. It's also important to avoid exposure to direct sunlight during the afternoon hours. The sun is at its strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you must go outside during these times, be sure to cover up with clothes, wear a hat and sunglasses, and apply plenty of sunscreen.

Of course, sunscreen or sun block is essential when you're spending time outdoors. Choose a product that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Children, fair-skinned people and those who live in high exposure areas should use lotions with a higher SPF of up to 40.

Your entire body should be covered by your sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. While it's always necessary to cover your exposed areas including the face, neck, feet and hands, don't forget the other areas that may be exposed. Remember, the most vulnerable parts of your body are those that are not normally touched by the sun.

Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply it every couple of hours. Sweat, water and friction from towels and lawn furniture will cause the lotion to rub away, so it's important to keep reapplying it. Even waterproof lotion should be reapplied after swimming.

If you plan on being in the water, it's even more important to use a high SPF sunscreen. The sun's UVA and UVB rays are able to reach you even through two feet of water. Fog and clouds will not stop these damaging rays, either. While the ozone layer used to provide this protection for us, the damage that we've caused with pollution means that UV protection is now up to us.

Finally, you should cover up with clothing and use SPF 15 sun lotion even on cloudy days and always wear a hat and sunglasses that have UVA and UVB filters when in the sun. And if you want a concluding reminder about the dangers of sunlight, remember that ultraviolet rays can harm the retinas in your eyes, causing cataracts.

Author Kenneth Surr writes for several web sites, on health article and woman health issues.
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