July: UV Safety Month

Warm summer days and outdoor activities expose you to the sun's rays, also called ultraviolet or UV rays. A sunburn or tan results when UV rays damage your unprotected skin and may lead to wrinkles, skin spots, or skin cancer. The same UV rays that damage your skin can also harm your eyes.

The wrinkles and other skin changes we think are caused by aging usually occur from getting too much sun. Recent estimates report that 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once. Even dark-skinned people can develop skin cancer. Nothing can completely undo sun damage, but the skin sometimes can repair itself. Taking a few simple sun-safe steps can help delay skin changes and prevent skin cancer. It is never too late to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun.

• To learn more about how you can protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology Web site at www.aao.org.
• For information on preventing skin cancer, visit the American Academy of Dermatology’s SkinCancerNet Web site at www.skincarephysicians.com/SkinCancerNet/index.html.

What's Your  Sun-Safety IQ? Take the American Cancer Society's quiz to find out: www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_7_1x_
Take_the_Sun_Safety_Quiz.asp

Focus On: Skin Cancer

Being exposed to the sun may be the most important factor in why people get skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 1 million skin cancers diagnosed each year in the United States. The most serious form of skin cancer is melanoma, which is diagnosed in more than 60,000 people each year and causes several thousand deaths. Most forms of skin cancer can be cured. When used on a regular basis, sunscreen and other sun-safe practices can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

Sources: American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and  Prevention

Prevention Tips: Outdoor Workers

If you are an outdoor worker, such as a mail carrier, landscaper, or farmer, you have an increased risk of skin cancer. Learn the level of UV rays before you go to work. The Environmental Protection Agency's Ultraviolet (UV) Alert System sends an alert when the level of solar UV rays is predicted to be unusually high and provides action steps that you can take to avoid being exposed to harmful rays. Check the UV Index daily or sign up using EPA's free EnviroFlash service to receive the UV Alert by e-mail.

Find today’s UV Index for your city or town: www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html#lookup

Regardless of the UV Index, the following sun safety measures are always encouraged:

• Wear sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of UV radiation.
• Generously apply sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher and UVA and UVB protection at least 20-30 minutes before going outside. Apply at least one ounce of sunscreen every time and reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating.
• Wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants made of tightly woven fabric, and a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Wear a hat that protects your ears, face, temples, and neck from the sun.
• Take a break in the shade when you can, and remember that the sun’s UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use extra caution when near water, snow, concrete and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun.
• Check your skin often for changes in the size, shape, color or feel of birthmarks, moles and spots. Such changes may be a sign of skin cancer.

• Avoid artificial sources of UV exposure, such as tanning beds.

To learn more about skin examinations, visit: www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/skin_examinations.html#Self-Examination

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency