Practice Safe Sun and 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.

Two of the types of skin cancers are very lethal if left too late and it is therefore crucial to follow the tips that will be provided, that are in part sourced from the world's largest healthcare organization, NHS Direct Online.

Taking care in the sun is the best way to protect your skin from developing cancer. First and foremost, do not allow your skin to burn. The damage is done as soon as the skin becomes burned, so cover up with sunscreen and loose fitting clothing.

Your arms and legs should be covered whenever possible. This will help to protect you from skin cancer and from heat stroke as well. It's also important to drink plenty of water to replace the natural fluids that are lost on hot days.

Keep in mind that tightly woven fabrics will provide the best protection from the sun. You should also avoid direct sunlight during the afternoon sun from 11am to 3pm as this is when the sun is at its strongest. If you must go outside during these times then make sure to cover up with clothes, hat and sunglasses and apply plenty of sunscreen.

You should always use a sun protection lotion with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. Children, people who live in constant exposure to the hot sun and fair-skinned people should choose a lotion with an SPF of up to 40.

Before you venture out into the sun, make sure that your entire body is covered by sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. At the absolute minimum, make sure that your face, hands, feet and neck are covered. Remember that the most vulnerable parts of your body are the spots that are not usually exposed to sunlight, so keep those protected as well.

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.

You should also consider wearing waterproof sun protection when you are out swimming. UVA and UVB rays can pierce through two feet of water. You should also remember that clouds and fog do not prevent the ultraviolet rays from penetrating and getting to your skin -- that's the job of the ozone layer (which we by the way are killing off).

Finally, you should cover up with clothing and use SPF 15 sun lotion even on cloudy days and always wear a hat and sunglasses that have UVA and UVB filters when in the sun. And if you want a concluding reminder about the dangers of sunlight, remember that ultraviolet rays can harm the retinas in your eyes, causing cataracts.

Article Source: http://www.articles.ask-me-about.com

Author Kenneth Surr is a regular columnist for numerous web sites, on health diet fitness and health care topics.