Prevent Skin Cancer

At one time, skin cancer was a disease that primarily affected Caucasians, smokers, those with a history of the disease and people who worked outside. Today, every one of us is at risk. Over the past forty years, the cases of skin cancer have doubled every ten years. It's up to us to protect ourselves and our children from this awful disease.

There are several types of skin cancer, two of which can be quite lethal if left unattended. That's why it's so important to adhere to the following skincare tips. Some of the following information has been provided by NHS Direct Online, the world's largest healthcare organization.

Basically, the best way to protect your self from skin cancer is to take care in the sun is to take preventative action and be sure you don't burn your skin. Once you have been burnt the damage has already been done, so remember to cover up with loose fitting clothes.

In addition to skin cancer, heat stroke is another serious health concern caused by overexposure to the sun. You can help to prevent heat stroke by wearing loose-fitting clothes and drinking plenty of water to replace what's lost through perspiration. Be sure to cover your arms and legs if possible.

The best clothes for sun protection are those made of fabrics that are tightly woven. Also, try to avoid being out in the sun during the hottest hours of the day, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you must be outdoors during these hours, cover up with clothes, use plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses.

Always use a sun protection lotion with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15, although exceptionally fair-skinned people, children and people living in exposed areas of the world need to use lotions with an SPF of up to 40.

Be sure that your entire body is covered by sunscreen with sun protection factor above 15. The absolute minimum to cover up is your face, hands, feet and neck but you should also consider using it all over as the most vulnerable parts of your body are the spots that are not usually exposed to sunlight.

Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply it every couple of hours. Sweat, water and friction from towels and lawn furniture will cause the lotion to rub away, so it's important to keep reapplying it. Even waterproof lotion should be reapplied after swimming.

Don't believe those who tell you that the water will protect you from sunburn. Always use waterproof sun protection when you are out swimming. UVA and UVB rays will penetrate through two feet of water. Similarly, clouds and fog do not prevent ultraviolet rays from reaching and damaging your skin. The ozone layer is meant to protect us, but we've damaged it to the point that we now need to protect ourselves.

In addition to the skin, you must protect your head and eyes from the sun's damaging rays. Always wear a hat and sunglasses that have UVA and UVB filters in the lenses. Ultraviolet rays can harm the retinas of the eyes and create cataracts.

Article Source: http://www.mycontentbuilder.com

Contributor Kenneth Surr loves writing for several web magazines, on womens health magazine and health and beauty themes.
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