Sun Safety Tips
Posted by admin in : Uncategorized , add a commentIt’s nice to feel the suns rays on your skin, especially when you are experiencing cooler climates, but protecting your skin from the sun is definitely vital to your health. Excess and prolonged exposure to the sun will result in age spots, wrinkles, freckles, easy bruising, skin tearing, premature skin aging, skin discoloration and skin cancer. Though summer will definitely bring harsher sun rays, persons that spend great amounts of time outdoors during the winter and fall should also take care.
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible form of radiation which reaches us as long wavelengths known as UVA and short wavelengths known as UVB, they penetrate your skin and damage the skin cells. Sunburns caused from UVB are a definite sign of skin damage. Suntans are also harmful to the skin as they appear after the sun’s rays have killed and damaged skin cells. UV rays can cause skin damage during any season or at any temperature.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Of the three common types of skin cancers melanoma which occurs when cancer forms in the melanocytes (skin cells that make pigment) is the most dangerous; younger persons are more predisposed to melanoma.
Persons more susceptible to sun exposure are those with pale skin, blonde, red or light brown hair, and people who are treated for skin cancer or have a family history of skin cancer. Persons that are on medications such as antibiotics and heart medicine will be more sensitive to the sun and should therefore be more diligent in sun protection measures. Regardless of this fact we all need to ensure proper measures are taken to avoid sun exposure. (more…)