May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all the cancer types.  There are more than 1 million new cases of skin cancers (including basal and squamous cell cancers) detected each year.  Current estimates are that 1 in 5 will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.  Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays appears to be the most important preventable factor in the development of skin cancer.

There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of skin cancer.  They are:

• Apply a sunscreen as part of your daily routine (good for anti-aging, too!).
• A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher should be applied 30 minutes before going into the sun.
• Get skin exams as part of your regular healthcare screenings.

Sunscreen is the single, easiest thing you can do on a daily basis to prevent skin cancer.  All sunscreens protect agains UVB rays, but you want protection against the UVA rays, too.  What's the difference?  UVA rays are the damaging rays responsible for aging.  UVB rays are the rays that are responsible for burning.  Then, there are two types of sunscreens:  chemical and physical.  Chemical sunscreens contains ingredients such as Mexoryl, oxybenzone or avobenzone and are considered "broad-spectrum".  Physicial sunscreens contain titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide and literally lay down a "barrier" that the sun's harmful rays can't penetrate.  These are typically heavier formulations, sometimes can leave a "chalky" cast and are well-suited to people who are outside alot. 

Sunscreens come in many different formulations--lotions, sprays, creams, solids.  It's a matter of personal preference.  Come back tomorrow for Part II of this feature, when I'll discuss different types of sunscreen protection and review sunscreens that you might want to consider using on a daily basis.  For additional information on Skin Cancer, please visit www.SkinCancer.org.