July is Ultraviolet (UV) Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and encourage precautions against many cancers that result from UV exposure.
Ultraviolet (UV) Rays are natural and artificial (e.g., tanning beds) and are often the leading cause of skin cancers, including melanoma and non-melanoma (basal cells and squamous cells cancers). These cancers vary in severity, but the amount of time and harshness of the UV exposure are the leading cause. The more sunburns you have throughout your life, the greater the risk of skin cancers.
There are three simple steps to keep yourself safe while outdoors:
- When appropriate, make sure to seek shade
- Wear clothing such as UV shirts that provide sun protection
- Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or higher. But remember, not all sunscreens are created equal! Read more about that here.
So, how do I protect myself against UV exposure? What affects UV exposure?
- Take notice of the time of day. Between 10 AM and 4 PM, UV rays are at their strongest.
- As you may expect, some seasons of the year have stronger rays; for the United States, Spring and Summer have higher UV exposure.
- If you live in the lower states of the United States, your distance to the equator is more significant, giving you additional exposure compared to those working in the Northeast.
- Altitude can also play a part; higher elevations can have much higher levels of UV rays.
- Even if you think it is cloudy, UV rays still can get through, even on an overcast day.
- One aspect you may not think of is reflections. UV rays can bounce off water, sand, snow, pavements, and more, increasing exposure.
Remember, speaking with a dermatologist is the best way to detect UV damage and skin cancers.
Source: AAD, Cancer.org, AICR