Summer vacation time is almost here, but the summer-like sun is already burning through the clouds.
When it comes to protecting your skin, not everything under the sun is the same. Putting the right layer of sunscreen between you and the harmful rays, can prevent one of the most common and deadly cancers. "More people are aware of the risk of melanoma but they're not necessarily changing their behavior," said Dr. Alan Blankenship, Dermatologist Kaiser Permanente Fresno.
Dr. Blankenship says doctors are getting more worried about skin cancer risk because it continues to climb even though there's more awareness about using sunscreens. "Not only are we seeing a higher rate of melanoma, we're seeing it in younger and younger people as well. So we want to get the word out that early skin cancer prevention is really important."
But using the right sunscreen with broad spectrum protection and a high sun protection factor are also important. Dr. Blankenship says the higher the SPF the better, because sunscreen makers test the SPF numbers with a thick layer on the skin. Most of us put on a thin layer so the number on the bottle may not be the amount of protection you're getting. So doctors are encouraging daily use of sunscreen and not just when you're at the beach, pool or water park.
Doctor Blankenship also warns about tanning bed use which he says can raise your risk of skin cancer even with just one exposure. But salon manager, Jon Sanderson at Four Seasons Tanning in Northeast Fresno, says with new technology, tanning beds have come a long way. "UVB is kind of known as the burning ray and this blocks it out almost 100 percent. You're getting 1/500th of 1 percent so it's very difficult to burn in this bed. "
Sanderson also says spray tanning with a sugar-based solution is a popular alternative to both sun-bathing and tanning bed use and the salon encourages clients to always protect their skin. "Regardless of the kind of bed it is, tanning every day is not good for you. You have to limit your exposure, get the results you want and then back off."
So this summer and in every season, skin protection is a priority. Next week, is "sun safety week" and dermatologists are hoping more sunscreen awareness will encourage more people to use skin protection on a daily basis. Also, family history plays a role in your skin cancer risk, because if a relative had the disease, doctors say that can triple your risk.