Free Articles at Neutron Marketing Article Publishing and Distribution » Cancer » Skin-cancer » Sunscreen And UV Rays - How To Protect Against Skin Cancer
Previous Article - What's The Point Of A Melanoma Biopsy.
Next Article - What Are The Causes And Effects Of Skin Cancer

View PDF | Print View | Html Version
by: AdrianFletcher
Total views: 4
Word Count: 637

Skin Cancer is a common disease that is thought to develop when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. Depending on the type of skin, this exposure can be limited and still lead to the development of some form of skin cancer. Fair skin that burns easily in the Sun is particularly vulnerable. As the Sun is the leading source of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation that people are regularly exposed to it is important to protect yourself when in the Sun. This article will list the common methods that can help prevent skin cancer. It will concentrate on Sunscreen and how it works to protect your skin.

Before covering how sunscreen works, it should be reiterated that sunscreen is not the only way to protect your skin from the sun. It should be used in conjunction with some of the ideas covered below.

Avoiding over exposure to UV rays is done by avoiding exposure to the Sun. The worst time to be in the sun is around midday when it is high in the sky. A few hours either side of this time are also bad. Try to avoid being in the Sun around this time. If you are in the Sun around this time, or any time for that matter, take precautions.

Wear clothing that can protect your skin form sunlight. Darker colored clothing works better than lighter colors. cover your arms and legs if practical or comfortable.

Wear a hat when in the sun. This will protect your scalp, face and eyes from UV rays. A wide brimmed hat is best as it provides more protection. Other people use a sun umbrella but a hat is better.

Wear sunglasses that absorb UVA and UVB radiation, as they can damage the eyes. Not only can they cause melanoma developing but they can lead to cataracts and other diseases.

If you have done all these things then you should think about sunscreen. Cover the parts of your body that are not covered by clothing. Some people suggest wearing sunscreen under clothing for added protection, especially on the arms or legs but this might not be comfortable or practical.

There are two general types of sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing UV rays. Physical sunscreens work by reflecting UV rays (or blocking them, hence the name sunblock that is sometimes used).

The sun protection factor (SPF) of a sunscreen is often used to illustrate it's strength and effectiveness. Most advice suggests that you use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30+. However the SPF of a sunscreen only applies to UVB radiation. Although this is thought to be the worst form of radiation for skin cancer, recent research suggest that UVA radiation can be just as bad. If you want a sunscreen that protects against both UVB and UVA radiation then you should look at what is marketed as broad spectrum sunscreen.

Sunscreens that act as a sunblock are best if you have to spend plenty of time out in the Sun. No doubt you have seen people wearing such creams on the nose or lips. It is almost like a paint that they have applied to the skin. This puts many people off using such creams but they are the best way to protect your skin from the Sun.

Sunblock creams will consist of either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (and are sometimes called zinc cream). If you don't fancy having a band of white cream covering your nose then an alternative is ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They act in the same way as a sunblock but the cream is clear and is not obvious on the face.

Always reapply sunscreen every 2 hours regardless of if you are active or not. Go for a sunscreen that you like on the skin as this makes it more likely that you will continue to use and reapply it.

About the Author

For details on the physical signs of skin cancer and the types of skin cancer then see symptomsofskincancer.net

---

Rating: Not yet rated

--Choose-- 0 1 2 3 4 5

No comments posted.

Add Comment

Enter the code shown