It is not always possible to prevent skin cancer completely. However, keeping an eye out for new spots or skin growths and having your skin checked by a doctor on a regular basis may help detect skin cancer early, when it may be more readily treated. In this blog, you will know how to protect yourself from skin cancer with the following methods. Sun avoidance, sun-protective clothing, and sunscreen are all methods to protect your skin from the sun and decrease your risk of skin cancer.
Wearing the Right Hat
Look for a tight weave, similar to what you'd find in canvas cloth. Straw hats with holes may seem dark, but they still allow UV radiation in, which may damage your skin. The brim is also important. The finest ones are all-around and wide enough to cover your face, ears, and neck. However, no hat can completely protect you from UV radiation, so use sunscreen in addition.
Don’t Skip Sunscreen
It's the next best thing to avoiding the sun entirely. Apply a heavy coating to any exposed skin. Use sunscreen with a wide spectrum SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater. Even on gloomy or cold days, you may wear it. Apply sunscreen every 2 hours, or more often if you swim or sweat a lot.
Time It
If you must leave the house, it is preferable to do so before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the brightest and most harmful to your skin during the in-between hours. If you can't avoid peak hours, cover yourself and seek shade wherever you can.
Avoid Tanning Beds
More than a dozen states prohibit minors under the age of 18 from tanning indoors. It increases your risk of developing melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer. The danger increases as you become younger and do it more often. UV tanning beds are classified as “moderate to high risk” devices by the FDA. Tanning creams that brown your skin are a safer bet. They don't typically include sunscreen, so you'll have to use it separately.
Sun Proof Your Car
People who are more prone to get skin cancer on their left sides, which are exposed to the sun's harmful rays. You should have a hat and sunscreen in the glove compartment. It's also a good idea to open the windows and, if you're riding in a convertible, to raise the top. (Sorry!) UV rays may be blocked by lining your vehicle's window with a specific film.
Slip-On Sunglasses
Your eyes, as well as the sensitive skin surrounding them, need protection. Cataracts are caused by ultraviolet radiation clouding the lenses behind your eyes. They may potentially cause macular degeneration, which may impair your eyesight. Most sunglasses marketed in the United States, even the cheapest ones, protect against UVA and UVB radiation.
Cover Up with Long Sleeves
Clothes provide a basic barrier against the sun. However, they cannot defend what they do not cover. Furthermore, light, loosely woven materials, such as denim, will not protect you as effectively as tighter, heavier fabrics. Some specialist clothing has a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating, which, like SPF in sunscreen, indicates how effectively it filters UV.
Keep an eye on your own skin or partner, ask a spouse or family member to check places you can't reach (back, scalp, buttocks, and back of ears). Keep an eye out for any cuts or blisters that take more than two weeks to heal.
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