Every year more than 95,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of melanoma or skin cancer. You don’t want to be one of them, and while skin cancer, like any other kind of cancer, is not always avoidable, there are things you can and should do to lessen your chances of contracting this disease.
Here are a few pieces of advice for things you’ll want to do and avoid to reduce the risk of contracting skin cancer.
Always Wear Sunscreen on Sunny Days
The importance of sunscreen should be obvious, and yet far too often people think they can cut corners with it. On the contrary – not only do you need to wear sunscreen on sunny days, but you also want to be sure to wear some on cloudy days during the summer as well. Just because there are clouds above you doesn’t mean that those UV rays are totally blocked. What’s more, if you go to the beach you’ll want to be sure that you reapply sunscreen every couple of hours.
Reduce UV Exposure
While sunscreen can help protect against sunburn, there isn’t evidence to suggest that it can have a direct impact on lessening your risk of melanoma. You will therefore want to take other preventative measures, including the following:
- Avoiding the periods of peak sun at least some of the time
- Making use of umbrellas while relaxing at the beach
- Seeking out shade while walking around
- Wearing hats and protective clothing
- Steering clear of tanning booths
Maintain a Healthy Diet
While a healthy diet may not seem like the most obvious way to curb your risk of skin cancer, tests in recent years have shown good signs that this may well be effective. Eating certain foods can help keep your skin healthy, which in turn can result in a reduced chance of skin cancer. Green tea, tomato sauce, curries, and many vegetables contain phytochemicals which can be useful in helping to add another layer of skin protection.
Heed these skincare tips and take care of your skin.