Skin Cancer - Just One Sunburn As a Child Doubles Your Chance Of Skin Cancer As An Adult

Summer is officially here.  It is the time of year when we all hit the outdoors and often we forget to protect our-self from the suns rays.  We would never send out kids to the pool without some knowledge of how to stay safe in the water, yet we send them outdoors with inadequate or no protection from the sun.

According to SunCancer.org "Over 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun."

Did you know that just getting one sunburn while you are a child can increase your chances for developing melanoma (skin cancer) later in life?  It is true.  Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer

 

That is all it takes is one sunburn.  There are various  SPF protections available on the market today.  You can get minimal or no SPF in some suntan oils/lotions.  You can also get as high as 90 and now some companies have a 100% Sun Protection Factor.  However there is much debate as to whether the higher SPF is really that much better than one with a SPF of as low as 15.

One would think that a SPF of 100 would block all the UVB rays but that is not the case.  WebMD states "Sunscreens with higher SPF ratings block slightly more UVB rays, but none offers 100% protection."

Studies show that very few people use SPF sunscreens as often and as heavy as suggested.   Which leads me to another factor about SPF sunscreens. What makes up these sunscreens?  Did you know they are made up of chemical filters made to block UVA rays.  Parsol 1789 or avobenzone and Mexoryl are three UVA filters that are commonly used in sunscreen.  These chemicals break down quickly and lose effectiveness in the sun unless stabilized.  The stabilization process is one that few companies can prove works. 

It is important to put on sunscreen often and heavy to get the full benefits.  Without the full benefits, you are at risk for skin cancer.