By Kara Nesvig, Allure
Think you’re being smart about the sun? Sure, you apply sunscreen to
your face every day, or choose a moisturizer with added SPF of at least
30, but do you remember to cover the rest of your body too? Do you
remember to apply it even when it’s cloudy? Do you protect yourself with
sunglasses and a hat when you’re outdoors at a festival or at the
beach? Granted, though many of us did come of age during the
era of tanning beds and have now become much more aware of the dangers
of sun exposure and the importance of wearing an SPF, skin cancer rates
are still on the rise.
[post_ads]Research by the Mayo Clinic
shows that two types of non-melanoma skin cancer have increased pretty
significantly in recent years. They reported that squamous cell
carcinoma diagnoses increased a whopping 263 percent between 2000 and
2010. And another common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma,
increased 145 percent.
Researchers found that women 30 to 49 saw
the greatest increase in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) diagnoses. BCC
appears like a small, pearly or waxy bump on your skin — it can look
like a zit or a small mole and is usually pinkish or flesh-toned in
color. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation,
about 4 million cases are diagnosed each year in the United States,
making it the most “frequently occurring” form of skin cancer.
As for squamous cell carcinoma
(SCC), it usually presents itself like a wart, and it might bleed if
scratched or bumped. It’s the second most common form of skin cancer.
Both BCC and SCC can be removed and don’t often spread past the tumor
site when detected and treated early, but it’s important to be aware of
what you can do to prevent skin cancer in the first place. (You’re not
safe from the sun while driving, either, so don’t forget the SPF on your
next summer road trip.)
"Even though there is so much awareness
about using sunscreen, most people don't use it on a daily basis,” says
Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist in New York City, and assistant professor
of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. “Since UV rays penetrate the
skin every day rain or shine, it is very important to use a
broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen every day. This ultraviolet light causes
skin cancer."
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If you're terrified of the idea of getting skin cancer but still insist on that base tan every summer, Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi,
Founder and Director of Capital Laser & Skin Care and Associate
Clinical Professor at the Department of Dermatology at the George
Washington University Medical Center, urges you to reconsider. "Every
time you get tan the skin is saying 'S.O.S! I'm being damaged so I'll
get darker.' There is NO level of tanning that is safe and does not
cause damage to the skin. Getting a tan is getting skin damage, and that
damage can come back to bite you in the form of skin cancer," she
warns.
To avoid as much sun damage as possible, "avoid the sun at
its strongest (between 10am and 4pm), liberally apply SPF 30 or above
every two to three hours while in the sun, use a hat, sunglasses,
sun-protective clothing and seek shade whenever possible," Dr. Tanzi
urges.
Luckily for us, there are tons of great sunscreens
on the market, from innovative spray formulas to get all those
hard-to-reach areas (hello, upper back!) to easily blend-able facial
sunscreens, so you don’t really have an excuse not to wear it daily.
