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Sunscreen And UV Rays - How To Protect Against Skin Cancer

Author: AdrianFletcher
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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.

Sunscreen is not the only thing that can be used to prevent skin cancer but should be viewed as a part of an overall strategy that limits your exposure to UV rays.

The best way to avoid UV radiation over exposure is to avoid sunlight when it is at it's strongest. Unsurprisingly, this is the period when it is at it's highest point in the sky, around mid day. Twelve noon is the worst time and the few hours around this time are also bad. Stay out of the sun during these times. If this cannot be done then take precautions.

Protect your skin with clothing. Cover as much of your body as practically possible. The arms and legs are often exposed so think about wearing long sleeve shirts or long pants if practical.

Always wear a hat in the Sun. A hat with a wide brim will protect your face and scalp from UV rays. Some people use a sun umbrella to protect themselves too.

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.

After you have done these things you should then consider wearing sunscreen. Cover the parts of your body that are not covered by clothing. Some advise to cover the arms and legs with sunscreen even if they are covered by clothings as you might roll up your sleeves and it doubles the protection.

Sunscreen comes in two forms. There is chemical sunscreens that absorb UV rays and physical sunscreens that reflect the UV rays (sometimes referred to as sun blocks).

Sunscreen is often given a Sun Protection Factor (SPF). This indicates how effective the sunscreen is against UVB radiation. UVB radiation is thought to be the worst form of UV rays for skin. Most advice suggests a sunscreen with SPF of 30+ is the minimum that you should go for. However, SPF does not cover how the sunscreen works for UVA radiation. If you want a sunscreen that protects against UVB and UVA radiation then look for a broad spectrum sunscreen.

Suns blocking suncreens are best if you spend plenty of time in the Sun. They are often thick creams that are applied to parts of the body that are most likely to get burned. So the nose and lips are often covered in sunblock.

Sunblocks normally consist of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. If you don't like the prospect of having a large white band across your nose then an alternative is to get ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They do the same job of reflecting the sunlight but do make you look like you have warpaint on.

Another aspect of sunscreen is that it will only last for around 2 hours so you must always reapply it after this time limit. It may be even shorter if you are very active or are swimming. You should also apply it before you go into the Sun and not once you are in it for obvious reasons but people often don't do this.