Today is the Friday that kicks off the Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial beginning of summer. Many Americans will head out to the beach or engage in outdoor activities such as picnics, barbeques, or pool parties. That is why, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared today, “Don’t Fry Day,” to encourage sun safety awareness due to increasing rates of skin cancer caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
According to the American Cancer Society, “more than 5.4 million skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States.” The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides the following action steps for sun protection:
- Do Not Burn – Avoid sunburns.
- Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds – UV light causes skin cancer and wrinkles.
- Generously Apply Sunscreen -SPF factor of at least 15 with both UVA and UVB protection over any exposed skin, 20 minutes before going outside, and reapply every 2 hours even on cloudy days, after swimming and sweating.
- Wear Protective Clothing – Long sleeved shirt, pants, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when possible.
- Seek Shade – Seek shade when possible. The strongest UV Rays are between10am and 4pm.
- Use Extra Caution Near Water, Snow and Sand – These elements reflect the sun’s damaging rays thus increasing your chance of sunburn.
- Check the UV Index – Visit www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html for the daily UV index forecast issued by the National Weather Service and the EPA.
- Get Vitamin D Safely – Acquire vitamin D safely through diet and supplements.
Early detection of skin cancer can save your life. Discuss any new moles or skin concerns with your healthcare provider. To schedule an appointment at any of our convenient Primary Medical Care Center community clinics, you may visit our website at www.primarymed.com, or call (305)751-1500 for our Miami-Dade clinic, or (954)289-0000 for our Broward clinic.
Source: https://www.skincancerprevention.org/programs/dont-fry-day
https://www.cancer.org/research/infographics-gallery/skin-cancer-prevention.htm
https://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/action-steps-sun-protection