Why is the sun so bad for my skin?
The sun's rays, which are called ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays (UVA and UVB rays) damage your skin. This leads to early wrinkles, skin cancer and other skin problems.
Being in the sun often over time, even if you don't burn, can lead to skin cancer. A tan is the body's attempt to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays.
Are tanning booths safer?
No. Tanning booths use ultraviolet rays. Makers of the booths may claim that they use "harmless" UVA rays. But both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage. While UVA rays take longer than UVB rays to damage the skin, they go deeper into the skin than UVB rays.
On what parts of the body is skin cancer most likely to occur?
Most skin cancers occur on parts of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun. These areas include the head, neck, face, tips of the ears, hands, forearms, shoulders, back, chests of men, and the back and lower legs of women.
What are the risk factors for skin cancer?
A number of factors may put you at higher risk of having skin cancer:
•Having fair skin, red or blond hair
•Having light-colored eyes
•Sunburning easily
•Having many moles, freckles or birthmarks
•Working or playing outside
•Being in the sun a lot as a child
•Having had a serious sunburn
•Having had skin cancer, or having family members who have had skin cancer
•Tanning in the sun or with a sunlamp
How can I prevent skin cancer?
The key is to avoid being in the sun or using sunlamps. If you're going to be in the sun for any length of time, wear clothes made from tight-woven fabric so the sun's rays can't get through to your skin, and stay in the shade when you can. Wear long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, neck, shoulders and ears.
Remember that clouds and water won't protect you--60% to 80% of the sun's rays go through clouds and can reach swimmers at least one foot below the surface of the water. The sun's rays can also reflect off water, snow and white sand.
Tips on preventing skin cancer
•Avoid the sun, especially from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the sun's rays are the strongest.
•Don't use tanning booths or sunlamps.
•Wear protective clothing and a hat whenever you go outside. Remember that you are often exposed to the sun while driving, especially your hands and arms.
•Wear sunglasses that wrap and are rated to block at least 99% of UVA sunlight.
•Check your skin yourself every month for signs of skin cancer.
•If you see an area on your skin that looks unusual, ask your family doctor about it.
Should I use sunscreen?
If you can't protect yourself by staying out of the sun or wearing the right kind of clothing, use sunscreen to help protect you. But don't think that you're completely safe from the sun just because you're wearing sunscreen.
How should sunscreen be used?
Use sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more. Check the expiration date—some ingredients in sunscreen break down over time. Put the sunscreen everywhere the sun's rays might touch you, including your ears, the back of your neck and bald areas of your scalp. Apply it 30 minutes before going outside so that it can be absorbed by the skin. Put more on every hour if you're sweating or swimming.
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
The sun's rays, which are called ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays (UVA and UVB rays) damage your skin. This leads to early wrinkles, skin cancer and other skin problems.
Being in the sun often over time, even if you don't burn, can lead to skin cancer. A tan is the body's attempt to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays.
Are tanning booths safer?
No. Tanning booths use ultraviolet rays. Makers of the booths may claim that they use "harmless" UVA rays. But both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage. While UVA rays take longer than UVB rays to damage the skin, they go deeper into the skin than UVB rays.
On what parts of the body is skin cancer most likely to occur?
Most skin cancers occur on parts of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun. These areas include the head, neck, face, tips of the ears, hands, forearms, shoulders, back, chests of men, and the back and lower legs of women.
What are the risk factors for skin cancer?
A number of factors may put you at higher risk of having skin cancer:
•Having fair skin, red or blond hair
•Having light-colored eyes
•Sunburning easily
•Having many moles, freckles or birthmarks
•Working or playing outside
•Being in the sun a lot as a child
•Having had a serious sunburn
•Having had skin cancer, or having family members who have had skin cancer
•Tanning in the sun or with a sunlamp
How can I prevent skin cancer?
The key is to avoid being in the sun or using sunlamps. If you're going to be in the sun for any length of time, wear clothes made from tight-woven fabric so the sun's rays can't get through to your skin, and stay in the shade when you can. Wear long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, neck, shoulders and ears.
Remember that clouds and water won't protect you--60% to 80% of the sun's rays go through clouds and can reach swimmers at least one foot below the surface of the water. The sun's rays can also reflect off water, snow and white sand.
Tips on preventing skin cancer
•Avoid the sun, especially from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the sun's rays are the strongest.
•Don't use tanning booths or sunlamps.
•Wear protective clothing and a hat whenever you go outside. Remember that you are often exposed to the sun while driving, especially your hands and arms.
•Wear sunglasses that wrap and are rated to block at least 99% of UVA sunlight.
•Check your skin yourself every month for signs of skin cancer.
•If you see an area on your skin that looks unusual, ask your family doctor about it.
Should I use sunscreen?
If you can't protect yourself by staying out of the sun or wearing the right kind of clothing, use sunscreen to help protect you. But don't think that you're completely safe from the sun just because you're wearing sunscreen.
How should sunscreen be used?
Use sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more. Check the expiration date—some ingredients in sunscreen break down over time. Put the sunscreen everywhere the sun's rays might touch you, including your ears, the back of your neck and bald areas of your scalp. Apply it 30 minutes before going outside so that it can be absorbed by the skin. Put more on every hour if you're sweating or swimming.
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
Thanks for writing on all areas of skin cancer and tanning... i thinks that sunscreen helps to protect from skin cancer ..... but you have cleared my doubt....
ReplyDelete