Before we get into how you can protect your skin, it’s important that you understand why your skin needs to be protected. As much as the sun feels great, especially after a long winter, it can be seriously damaging to your skin.
First, the sun can prematurely age your skin. Over 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging are a result of the sun, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. This means that the sun is causing your skin to wrinkle, spot, and look older than it really is. According to the Institute on Aging, 5.5 million Americans lived to age 85+ by 2010. The number of Americans aged 85 and up is expected to reach 19 million, or 5% of the population, by 2050. Imagine what your skin might look like when you’re 85 if it’s already aging prematurely from the sun.
A more serious health concern that derives from sun exposure is skin cancer. Roughly 9,500 American people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. One of the most dangerous and deadly forms of skin cancer is melanoma. An estimated 91,270 new melanomas will be diagnosed in 2018, according to the American Cancer Society. Melanoma is one of the most common cancers to hit people younger than age 30. Melanoma only accounts for 3% of skin cancer cases but 75% of skin cancer deaths.
As terrifying as all of these may sound, there are ways that you can protect your skin from the sun to prevent skin cancer. Here are just a few of those ways.
Skip the tanning bed
You’ve probably heard this before, but indoor tanning is absolutely horrible for your skin. Spending just 20 minutes in an indoor tanning bed is the same as spending three unprotected hours in the sun. Even just one indoor tanning session increases your risk of developing melanoma by 20%. Women under 30 are six times more likely to develop melanoma while indoor tanning. Finally, almost 90% of melanoma cases are thought to be caused by exposure to the ultraviolet light that indoor tanning beds give off. So, long story short, stop using indoor tanning beds or avoid them completely if you’ve never used them.
Always wear sunscreen
This is probably another thing you’ve already heard, but a lot of people don’t understand the importance of wearing sunscreen. You want to make sure you are generously applying sunscreen to every part of your body that will be exposed to the sun. Use an SPF of 30 or higher, and you should apply it every two hours after sweating or swimming. Because no sunscreen can block 100% of the sun’s rays, between the hours of 10 A.M. and 2 P.M., stay in the shade as much as you can because that’s when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
Pay attention to your surroundings
Finally, you want to make sure you’re especially careful around water, snow, and sand. These surfaces reflect the sun’s rays, making it easier for you to get a sunburn.
When you’re getting ready for summer, it’s hard not to want to spend copious amounts of time in the sun. Getting some sun is okay, just make sure you stay protected and avoid tanning beds to keep your skin healthy.
