May is skin cancer awarenss month and research says melonoma is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States.
“One in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their life so it’s very important for children in particular to wear sunscreen,” said Dr. Bryan Harris, a dermatologist with Covenant Health Partners.
Harris recommends everyone use SPF 30 or higher and more importantly make sure you’re using the sunscreen correctly.
“The main thing people do incorrectly is not apply it frequently enough,” said Dr. Harris. “You really want to put it on 15 minutes before you get out into the sun or reapply ever two hours or more frequently if you are in the water or toweling off.”
Other tips to help avoid a sunburn are to avoid peak hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., have your children wear wide brimmed hats and UV protective clothing.
Dr. Harris also reminds us that you still protection even when the suns not shining.
“Even on a cloudy day you can get a lot of ultraviolet exposure, so people are fooled into thinking it might be cool or windy and you won’t get as much sun but sometimes you can get even more sun on a cloudy day,” said Dr. Harris.
