Avoiding Skin Cancer Is Largely Up To You
Every single year, more than 1,000,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States
. As with most disease, there are many things that people can do to avoid contracting skin cancer. In fact, the various types of skin cancer are one of the few things that people can in a lot of ways avoid with proper practices.
One of the most obvious tools that people can use in order to avoid harmful UV rays, is apply plenty of sunscreen. It is important that the sunscreen used have a high SPF rating, because the Sun Protection Factor is what actually keeps your skin protected from the harmful, cancer causing UV rays. Always apply sunscreen liberally, and depending upon what you are doing, it should be applied often. If you are running or working and sweating, or swimming, it should be applied more frequently. Even on a cloudy day, you should be sure to apply sunscreen if you are going to spend a lot of time outside. Many people think that simply because the sun feels less intense coming through the clouds, that they will not be sunburnt. This isn't the case. On a cloudy day, up to 80% of UV rays can still come through. So clouds help a little bit, but not much.
If you happen to be a person with a fair complexion, light hair, and light eyes, you are probably prone to being sunburnt, and also more likely to get skin cancer. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that if you fall into this particular category, you are especially careful with the sun, and very diligent when it comes to applying sunscreen.
Another thing that people sometimes neglect, are their eyes. It is important that you wear sunglasses that offer protection from UVA and UVB rays, in order to avoid contracting melanoma of the eye. Anytime you are outside, it is a good idea to wear sunglasses. Next time somebody teases you for wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day, you can tell them you are simply being safe.
It is important that you keep an eye on any irregularities that may occur with moles on your body. If you follow the ABCD's, you will hopefully be able to catch any problems before they become serious. A stands for asymmetry. If you have a mole that is oddly or asymmetrically shaped, where one side is larger than the other, this could be a sign that you should have it checked out. B stands for border irregularity. If the edges of the mole are poorly defined, this is a warning sign. C stands for color variations, such as multiple colors found in one single mole. D stands for diameter. If your mole is larger than a pencil eraser, and has any of the other aforementioned characteristics, you should visit a dermatologist.
Following these practices will help you stay healthy and keep your skin safe, and if you do encounter irregularities, you will hopefully have caught them in plenty of time to be successfully treated.
by: Art Gib
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