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Sunscreen And UV Rays - How To Protect Against Skin Cancer |
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Written by Adrian Fletcher
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008 |
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Skin cancer is an increasingly common disease that is thought to be caused by over exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This combined with certain genetic predispositions, like fair skin, can make a person particularly vulnerable to developing skin cancer. Most people get exposed to UV radiation from spending time in the Sun. As it is practically impossible to avoid being in the Sun, minimizing the amount of time spent in the Sun or limiting it's impact on the skin is often advised. This article will cover some of the ways to protect yourself from the damaging affect of the Sun. It concentrates on how sunscreen can protect you from developing skin cancer.
by AdrianFletcher
Skin cancer is an increasingly common disease that is thought to be caused by over exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This combined with certain genetic predispositions, like fair skin, can make a person particularly vulnerable to developing skin cancer. Most people get exposed to UV radiation from spending time in the Sun. As it is practically impossible to avoid being in the Sun, minimizing the amount of time spent in the Sun or limiting it's impact on the skin is often advised. This article will cover some of the ways to protect yourself from the damaging affect of the Sun. It concentrates on how sunscreen can protect you from developing skin cancer.
Sunscreen is not the only thing that can be used to prevent skin cancer but should be viewed as a part of an overall strategy that limits your exposure to UV rays.
The best way to avoid UV radiation over exposure is to avoid sunlight when it is at it's strongest. Unsurprisingly, this is the period when it is at it's highest point in the sky, around mid day. Twelve noon is the worst time and the few hours around this time are also bad. Stay out of the sun during these times. If this cannot be done then take precautions.
Protect your skin with clothing. Cover as much of your body as practically possible. The arms and legs are often exposed so think about wearing long sleeve shirts or long pants if practical.
Wear a hat when in the sun. This will protect your scalp, face and eyes from UV rays. A wide brimmed hat is best as it provides more protection. Other people use a sun umbrella but a hat is better.
Wear UV protective sunglasses as the eyes can also be damaged by UV rays.
If you have done all these things then you should think about sunscreen. Cover the parts of your body that are not covered by clothing. Some people suggest wearing sunscreen under clothing for added protection, especially on the arms or legs but this might not be comfortable or practical.
Sunscreens come in two types. The more common type is a chemical sunscreen that absorbs UV rays. The other type is a physical sunscreen that reflects or blocks the UV rays (these are sometimes called sunblocks).
A way to determine the effectiveness of a sunscreen is to look at it's Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The popular recommendation in this respect is to always go for an SPF of 30+. SPF pertains to the ability to protect the skin from UVB radiation that is thought to be the worst form of radiation for sun burn and skin cancer. However, it does not protect against UVA radiation, which researchers feel can be just as dangerous as UVB. Products that are known as Broad Spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA rays.
Sunscreens that act as a sunblock are best if you have to spend plenty of time out in the Sun. No doubt you have seen people wearing such creams on the nose or lips. It is almost like a paint that they have applied to the skin. This puts many people off using such creams but they are the best way to protect your skin from the Sun.
Sunblock creams will consist of either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (and are sometimes called zinc cream). If you don't fancy having a band of white cream covering your nose then an alternative is ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They act in the same way as a sunblock but the cream is clear and is not obvious on the face.
Always reapply sunscreen every 2 hours regardless of if you are active or not. Go for a sunscreen that you like on the skin as this makes it more likely that you will continue to use and reapply it.
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