August is Summer Sun Safety Month

Summer Sun Safety Month, observed in August, encourages you to enjoy your summer, but take precautions to avoid overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Summer Sun Safety month is a reminder keep ourselves safe and healthy in the sun during the summer. Sunlight is essential for your body to produce Vitamin D, however too much of it can cause harmful effects to your skin and eyes. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light can cause skin cancer as well as cataracts. If you notice anything unusual on your skin, see your provider.

Summer Sun Safety Month reminds us that skin is the body’s largest organ, so it’s not a surprise that skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer. Each year, about 3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States. These cancers in the outer layer of the skin, occur most where skin is exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, neck, lips and the backs of the hands.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. In the continental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time). To reduce your risk of getting skin or eye diseases, we recommend that you take the following precautions while you’re having fun in the summer.

• Staying in the shade or under an umbrella, tree or other shelter when possible.
• When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants/skirts that provide UV protection.
• Wear a hat that has a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck.
• Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays
• Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 15 or higher on all exposed skin. Pay particular attention to easily missed areas of your body, such as your ears, the tops of your feet and the part in your hair. Also, remember that sunscreen wears off, so you’ll need to reapply it every two hours, as well as after you swim or sweat.
• Be sure to stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. While this is always important, it is critical when you are spending time in the sun.
• Please remember that sunscreen is NOT recommended for babies 6 months or younger. Infants should be kept of out the sun during the midday and wear protective clothing if they must be in the sun.

Although the American Cancer Society does not have screening guidelines for skin cancer, individuals should be proactive by checking their skin regularly in order to spot new growths or abnormal areas.

For more information on summer sun safety, please visit: 

CDC:     https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm

Cancer.org:  https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/sun-and-uv.html