Spring is here and summer is on it’s way. I love to get outside and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. One word of caution however, don’t forget your suncare! Skin cancer continues to be a health epidemic in the US and according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.” If you are thinking yes, but that only happens to other people, then consider another statistic from the Skin Cancer Foundation- “One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.” The good news is that skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. This post is brought to you by Neutrogena but all opinions expressed are my own.
Summer Suncare Tips For Skin Cancer Prevention
Here is a tip that my mother always told me, the hours between 10 AM and 4 PM are the hours when the sun is strongest and we need to protect our skin the most. So stay out of the sun or cover up with light clothing or use suncare.
The CDC offers these skin cancer prevention tips:
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- Stay in the shade, especially during midday hours.
- Wear sun protective clothing that covers your arms and legs.
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays.
- Use sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.
- Avoid indoor tanning.
These six basic tips are so easy and that is why skin cancer is the most preventable kind of cancer. But first we all have to take it seriously and remember to use suncare on ourselves and our family.
A great tip from Dr. Michael R. Burgdorf is “Don’t be lulled into thinking you are immune to the UV rays just because you applied sunscreen once. It is best to reapply sunscreen often throughout the day, no matter the SPF used.”
Another tip from David J. Leffell, M.D., professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale School of Medicine, is “choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which offers greater UVA (as well as UVB) protection.”
Start early and be consistent! Make applying sunscreen second nature for your kids by letting them see you apply sunscreen to yourself. Kids learn from watching and if you do it, they will see it as something important. Sparking this simple behavioral habit early on may help reduce the likelihood of your child developing skin cancer later in life.
Essential Summer Suncare
When it comes to choosing summer suncare, Neutrogena the #1 dermatologist recommended suncare, has you covered. Whether you are looking for sunscreen lotion, sunscreen spray, sunscreen stick, or liquid sunscreen, they have just the suncare. They have sunscreen products for baby, kids, and adults.
The Neutrogena® CoolDry Sport Sunscreen collection is great for athletes. If you go running, if your kids do sports, if your husband sweats all the time like he is doing sports (LOL), then the sport sunscreens are for you since they are made to be sweat resistant for up to 80minutes. It provides superior protection during even the most intense conditions. With new MICROMESH™ technology, this sunscreen allows sweat to pass through and evaporate away while clinically proven, durable protection stays right where it should. Pretty cool!
If you don’t want any sun made wrinkles, like me, you are going to love the Neutrogena Age Shield™ Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 110. You will catch me applying this daily. Helioplex® Technology delivers superior anti-aging protection and I am all about that! My favorite part is the the lightweight lotion absorbs quickly for a non-greasy feel. I am loving it. Check out Neutrogena.com to learn more.
What about you? Do you make sun protection a priority for yourself and your family? Skin cancer is the most preventable cancer. Spread the world to help educate and protect those you love. Show us how you #ChooseSkinHealth by getting your kids to #MimicMommy on social media – share photos of you and your children applying sunscreen together and tag @familyfocusblog and @Neutrogena.