Angie Monk

Our skin protects us from heat, sunlight, injury and infection; however, we often neglect making it a priority to protect our skin on a daily basis as we should. July is recognized as Sun Safety Month and is a great time to remind us of five important tips to safeguard our skin:

1. Shirt: Wear clothing that will protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays. Do not be fooled by cloudy days and winter months, as harmful ultraviolet rays are still present.

2. Sunscreen: Generously apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen over exposed skin. Daily use of an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 15 or higher sunscreen can reduce the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about 40% and the risk of developing melanoma by 50%. Don’t skip reapplying sunscreen every two hours, especially after sweating or swimming. Avoid sunburns, as they significantly increase one’s lifetime risk of developing skin cancer.

3. Hat: Be sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat.

4. Seek Shade: Locating shade is especially important between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when UV rays are their strongest. Also, use extra caution near reflective surfaces, like water, snow and sand that can reflect damaging rays.

5. Sunglasses: Protect your eyes. According to the CDC, some of the more common sun-related vision problems include cataracts and macular degeneration. Use wrap-around style sunglasses with 99 or higher UV block.