Skin cancer affects nearly 5 million Americans every year making it the most common type of cancer in the U.S. But as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out, skin cancer is preventable in most cases.
The most preventable cases are those caused by ultraviolet (UV) light exposure from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Tanning beds cause approximately 400,000 cases of skin cancer every year.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s UV Index suggests the following tips for a healthy time outdoors
- Seek shade, especially during midday hours regardless of the temperature.
- Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
- Use sunscreen with broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection and sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher.
- Remember to reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
The following panel put together by the CDC below discusses the prevention and control of skin cancer.
