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Fun Under The Sun
Dangerous Rays Require Extra Attention
Whether you'll be sitting on the beach, piloting
a boat or lazily casting a fishing line, chances
are the rising temperatures and warm sun will
be too welcoming for you to ignore. As welcoming
as those rays may be, they can also be very
dangerous, with skin cancer a serious side
effect of overexposure.
Though a number of factors come into play
in regard to an individual's susceptibility
to skin cancer, there are a number of steps
those heading out to get some sun can take
to limit their chances of suffering any negative
side effects of exposure to too much sun.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS),
the following easy precautions should help
protect you.
• Limit exposure during midday.
Even though these are popular hours for enjoying
time outdoors, the most damaging time of day
to be exposed to ultraviolet rays is between
the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when
the sun is high in the sky and your shadow
is shorter than you. Be especially wary when
in the water during these hours. Though the
water will feel refreshing and cooling, harmful
UV rays can pass through it, meaning you're
just as susceptible to damaging rays in the
water as you are on land. Similarly, just
as snow reflects sunlight, so, too, do sand
and water, increasing the amount of UV radiation
you receive.
Before heading out into the sun, check your
local newspaper or radio station to see what
the day's UV index is. The lower the number,
the safer you'll be. If your local newspaper
or radio station does not list the UV index
for that day, visit the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Web site at www.epa.gov.
• Cover up and dress smart.
When out in the sun, doing your best to stay
as covered as possible is a recommended precaution.
The ACS recommends keeping a shirt on in the
sun and wearing dark colors, which prevent
more UV rays from reaching your skin. For
children, finding bathing suits that protect
them from the neck to the knees, along the
lines of a surfer's wetsuit, is recommended.
• Wearing a hat. The
most ideal hats to wear are those that feature
wraparound brims, protecting not only your
eyes, nose and face from the sun, but your
neck and ears as well. According to the ACS,
skin cancers commonly develop on parts left
exposed by baseball caps, such as the back
of the neck and ears, so wearing a baseball
cap is typically not sufficient protection.
• Use a higher-SPF sunscreen.
A sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 is recommended
by the ACS. An SPF 15 blocks out 93 percent
of the sun's burning UV rays, while an SPF
4 blocks just 75 percent. It's also important
to know that "waterproof" and "water-resistant"
sunscreens are not the same. Waterproof sunscreens
can protect you for at least 80 minutes when
swimming or even sweating, while water-resistant
types typically provide half that amount of
protection. Reapplying sunscreen after swimming
or excessive sweating is recommended, as is
reapplication every two hours, regardless
of how much time you've spent in the water
or how much you've perspired.
• Wear protective sunglasses.
Sunglasses are also a way from protecting
yourself from the sun. UV-absorbent sunglasses
are recommended, since they can block between
99 and 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.
Children, too, should wear such glasses, since
their eyes are just as susceptible to the
sun's damage.
• Avoid sunlamps and tanning
salons. Tanning beds emit the same
harmful UVA and UVB radiation according to
the ACS. Exposure to both UVA and UVB can
cause serious damage to your skin while contributing
to the formation of skin cancer. Sunlamps
can be damaging as well and should always
be in strict adherence with the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (www.fda.gov).
• Check your skin.
An easy and safe precaution to take is checking
your skin on a daily basis after showering
or bathing. In a well-lit room, look for changes
in size, shape, color or texture of any blemishes
or any sores that aren't healing. Anything
out of the ordinary should immediately be
brought to the attention of your physician.
The earlier signs of pre-cancerous conditions
are detected, the more likely the treatment
will be simple, safe and successful.
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