Sun Safety

Sun safety is important all year, not just in the summer. A person's risk for skin cancer builds up over a lifetime, even on cloudy days. Protect yourself and your family from skin cancer. All you need are your eyes and a mirror to find skin cancer early. When found early, you have the best chance of having it treated successfully.

Protecting your skin is easy, and it only takes a few simple actions:

• Stay out of direct sunlight between 10am-4pm, when UV rays are the most intense. If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are strongest.
• Wear sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats to block UV rays. Dress in long sleeves and long pants or skirts, when you can.
• Look for shade when possible.
• Use sunscreen that protects against UVA/UVB rad and has an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every 2 hours if you are swimming/sweating.
• Wear wrap-around sunglasses to block UVA/UVB rays.
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps- try a spray tan if you want some quick color.
• Use make up or moisturizer that has sunscreen in it.
• Children's skin is especially sensitive to the sun. Keep babies younger than 6 months out of the sun.
  • Sunscreen isn't generally recommended for this age.
  • If you have to be outside, cover them up as much as possible.

To learn more about how the American Cancer Society can help you, your family, and your co-workers protect yourselves from skin cancer, visit cancer.org/sunsafety or call 1-800-227-2345.