May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and today is being nationally recognized at Melanoma Monday. With summer just around the corner, the risk of damaging your skin with harmful UV rays is unbearably high, with statistics showing that one person dies from melanoma every hour in the United States.
By knowing how to protect your skin, you can make sure you’re taking every precaution when it comes to skin cancer. If you’re about to step out your front door without sunscreen, stop and read these 10 facts about skin cancer. Maybe you’ll think twice about skipping the SPF.
Melanoma Monday: 10 Facts About Skin Cancer
- Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States
- Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
- Just one indoor tanning session increases users’ chances of developing melanoma by 20 percent, and each additional session during the same year boosts the risk almost another two percent.
- Anyone, regardless of skin color, can get skin cancer.
- Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult.
- Wearing sunscreen year-round plays a major role in your overall protection from the sun.
- Some common prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antibiotics, can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. (stay informed!)
- Sunscreens don’t provide complete protection from UV rays. Wear protective clothing whenever possible.
- Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. The sun’s rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m
- African Americans, Latinos, and Asians have a lower risk of developing skin cancer in general, but when they do develop it, it’s often more deadly and more aggressive.
(taken from Skincancer.org & MayoClinic.com)
Will these 2013 skin cancer facts inspire you to make sure you’re protected this summer?
