July is UV Protection Safety Month. It is the best time to talk about the importance of protecting your skin from the sun. Whether you are outside for hours at a time or just a few minutes each day, the physicians of Premier Surgical caution that it’s important to have proper skin care in place to reduce the risk of damage from the sun.
Why Should You Use Sunscreen?
There are various ways to protect your skin from the sun, including wearing hats with large brims and applying ample sunscreen. Sunscreen specifically is valuable because it helps to reduce UV exposure significantly, lowering your risk of skin cancer and sun damage from occurring.
It’s important to know your skin cancer risk factors. If you have fair skin or a family history of skin cancer, it is very important that you maximize the amount of skincare protection you are using. It’s also important that you wear sunscreen if you have a high photosensitivity level. Some medications and disorders create this. This type of condition makes you highly likely to suffer skin damage.
What You Should Know About Protecting Your Skin
To gain protection from the skin, be sure you choose the right sunscreen. Here are a few things that are important to remember:
• Ingredients: Look for a sunscreen that has physical sunscreen ingredients such as the minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide or those that contain chemical protectants such as avobenzone and octisalate.
• SPF: Sun protection factor, or SPF, is a rating that tells you how long the sun’s rays will take to redden your skin. It is best to choose at least a product that is SPF 30 though a higher number can be better as well.
• Type: Look for broad spectrum sunscreens which work to protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
If you spot any signs of skin cancer or damage to your skin, it is important to seek out help right away. Doing so can provide you with the best ability to get treatment as soon as possible to minimize the risk of it spreading.
Find the Help You Need
If you are facing a skin cancer or melanoma diagnosis, Premier Surgical Associates’s board-certified surgical oncologists and general surgeons are experts at treating skin cancer and melanoma. To request an appointment with a physician at one of our Premier Surgical locations, visit https://www.premiersurgical.com/request-an-appointment/.