Protecting your skin from the sun can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer, sunburn, and premature skin aging like age spots, sagging, and wrinkles. If you’ve had skin cancer, sun protection can reduce your risk of getting another skin cancer.
That’s why dermatologists recommend sun protection for people of all skin tones.
Follow these tips to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays and reduce your risk of skin cancer:
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- Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
- Wear sun-protective clothing, such as a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection, when possible. For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) label.
- Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
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- Use sunscreen whenever you are going to be outside, even on cloudy days.
- Apply enough sunscreen to cover all skin not covered by clothing. Most adults need about 1 ounce — or enough to fill a shot glass — to fully cover their body.
- Don’t forget to apply to the tops of your feet, your neck, your ears and the top of your head.
- When outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
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- Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand, as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
- Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from tanning beds can cause skin cancer and premature skin aging.
- Consider using a self-tanning product if you want to look tan, but continue to use sunscreen with it.
- Perform regular skin self-exams to detect skin cancer early, when it’s most treatable, and come visit one of our board-certified dermatologists if you notice new or suspicious spots on your skin, or anything changing, itching or bleeding.
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