1. Avoid Excess Sun Exposure
Even during the summer, it's a good idea to wear long-sleeved shirts, long shorts or pants and a hat that provides plenty of protection from the sun. The more your skin is exposed to the sun, the greater your risk of developing skin cancers like carcinoma and melanoma. If it's just too hot to wear long clothes, try to stay in the shade while outdoors.
2. Say Hello to Sunscreen
It's well known that using sunscreen when going outdoors is an easy safeguard you can use to prevent skin cancer. Choose a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation and offers a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. For the best results, apply it about 1/4 hour before going outside, and reapply it every 2 hours or immediately after swimming.
Don't overlook the importance of wearing sunscreen on a cloudy day. As much as 80 percent of potentially harmful sun rays can break through cloud cover. You should always check the weather forecast to learn the expected levels of UV radiation, and wear sunscreen when it's cloudy if high levels of radiation are expected.
3. Say Goodbye to the Tanning Salon
The tanning units in these salons are hotbeds of both UVA and UVB radiation, containing levels that are as much as five times more concentrated than the sun. It's not surprising that they age your skin, cause sunburn-like symptoms and increase your risk of developing carcinomas or melanomas.
4. Do a Monthly Self-Examination
Prevention isn't always possible, and early detection is the next-best thing. Doctors recommend that individuals aged 35 and up conduct a thorough bodily examination at least once per month to look for suspicious skin growths. From your scalp down to your toes, you should check every inch of your body for oblong, misshapen, strangely colored or growing spots that weren't there in the past.
