Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. More than 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually. Some reports suggest that the number is more than double that. More than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure. One in five Americans and one in three Caucasians will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV light is at its most dangerous levels. Don't be fooled by a cloudy day -- even when the sun isn't shining you're at risk from damaging rays. African-Americans and other dark-skinned people should wear sunscreen. Even though darker skin is less likely to burn, no one is immune from skin cancer.
Use sunscreen to cover your body 30 minutes before going outside, and reapply every 2 hours. Don't forget to put sunscreen on your ears and the top of your feet. These often-ignored areas of the body can burn easily. If you're swimming, or working up a sweat in the sun, be sure to use a waterproof sunscreen.
SPF is shorthand for Sun Protection Factor. You should use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, which means you can stay in the sun 30 times as long as without the sunscreen and get the same level of sunburn. The fairer your skin, the higher your SPF number should be.
Remember that a physical block is more effective that a chemical block. A physical block contains zinc and physically blocks the sun's penetration.
