Protect your skin during UV Safety Awareness Month and beyond

Here in Louisiana, we are no strangers to the powerful rays of the sun, but UV Safety Awareness Month provides an opportunity for a refresher about how to protect your skin.

While the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun help heat things up and light up our days, exposure to those rays can increase the risk of premature skin aging, other types of sun damage and skin cancer.

July is UV Safety Awareness Month, and our West Jefferson Medical Center crew is offering a few tips on how you can enjoy the beauty of the sun while protecting your skin.

Making sense of UV rays

What are UV rays, anyhow? The sun produces three different types of UV rays—UVA, UVB and UVC rays, and one never even makes it to earth!

UVA and UVB rays shine down on us, while UVC rays remain outside the earth’s atmosphere. These types of UV radiation affect the body differently, with UVA rays primarily responsible for skin damage and UVB rays responsible for sunburns and skin cancer. Both types of UV rays can also impact your health in other ways, including diminishing your immune system.

While you might think that you’re only exposed to UV radiation when the sun shines, 80% of the sun’s UV rays make it through to earth even on a cloudy day. That’s why it’s important to protect your skin at all times.

5 ways you can stay sun-safe

Skin cancer doesn’t discriminate—every person is at risk. Here are five ways to help protect yourself and lower your risk of developing skin cancer:

1. Steer clear of the tanning bed. Think you’ll be better off with a “base tan” from the tanning bed or that tanning indoors is safer? Think again! Using a tanning bed once still increases a person’s risk of developing skin cancer. The damage your skin can experience from exposure to the UV light from a tanning bed is the same as sun damage.
2. Get to know the UV index. The UV index is an important measure of how intense the sun’s UV rays are on any given day, and it can often be found on local TV news, or in the panel of information in a weather app. The higher the number, the greater your exposure to potent UV rays, so you’ll know to moderate your time outside.
3. Always use sunscreen. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. The “broad-spectrum” part is important—SPF only indicates how a sunscreen will protect your skin against UVB rays, while broad-spectrum adds UVA protection. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply at least every two hours or more often if swimming or sweating.
4. Add another layer of UV protection. While protecting your skin starts with sunscreen, it doesn’t end there. When it’s practical, wear clothing that guards your skin, too. Sun-protective clothing, which will be marked by a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), is one way to protect your skin, while wearing long sleeves and pants can also help.
5. Don’t forget your face. When you’re applying sunscreen, you may want to use a specialized facial sunscreen designed for sensitive skin. You should also wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your ears, scalp, skin and eyes, along with a pair of sunglasses with 100% UV protection. One last step before heading outdoors? Put on a layer of lip balm containing sunscreen.

Ultimately, you’re your skin’s best friend. A little extra prep work can help you protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays while you still enjoy the beauty of our outdoor surroundings.

Skin cancer can affect any person of any age or race. If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer, the West Jefferson Medical Center Cancer Care team is here to help.