Important Warning For Memorial Day: You Can STILL Get Skin Cancer Even If You Don’t Get Sunburned

Of course, the safest way to avoid getting skin cancer is by staying out of the sun, period, but we know that’s no fun. As far as sun protection goes, the EWG advises to skip the spray version of sunscreens “because of difficulty with proper application, potential ingredient toxicity and inhalation concerns.”

Furthermore, they determined that higher SPF products values “have not been shown to provide greater clinical benefit than those with lower values” and may actually be giving consumers a “false sense of security.”

 

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Our SurvivorNet experts concur, noting that once you rub in the SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor, it is actually half the protection that it states, so we agree with the fact that higher SPFs can indeed by misleading.

In general, dermatologists recommend using a minimum of SPF 30 to protect yourself from harmful sun raysand reapplying every two hours.

Choose the Right Sunscreen and Use it Often

Many people slather on sunscreen every day, but if you're not choosing the right type or not using enough, it may not be working.

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends you use no less than SPF 30 and reapply it every two hours. Your sunscreen should also be broad spectrum, says Dr. Larocca, meaning it covers both UVB and UVA rays.

According to Dr. Larocca, people usually only get about 50% of the SPF on the label. So, if you're using SPF 60, you're really getting closer 30 SPF of protection. To make sure you're getting the right protection, she also recommends using sunscreen every two hours and wearing protective clothing, such as a hat and sunglasses.

Here are some top tips for protecting yourself in the sun:

• Avoid sun exposure during peak hours when the sun's rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside
• Use at least SPF 30 broad spectrum sunblock and reapply every 2 hours when outdoors

Following these guidelines will help reduce your risk of skin damage and future skin cancer.

Learning About Melanoma

Ninety percent of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. That means you're at risk if you spent excessive amounts of time in the suneven as a child. If you ever got scalding sunburns or were a fan of tanning salons, it's important to get your skin checked out. While you can still get skin cancer without ever getting burned, as mentioned, they absolutely put you at a much higher risk.

"Melanomas are the deadliest type of skin cancer because they have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body," explains Dr. Anna Pavlick, an oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Most Melanomas Develop from Sun Exposure, but You Can Get It In Unexposed Areas 

Melanoma can develop from an existing mole or it can appear as a dark or pink growth on the skin. That said, they aren't limited to sun-exposed areas. According to Dr. Pavlick, you can also develop melanomas in places like your sinuses, rectal area, back of the eye, and other areas that aren't exposed to the sun, which is highly surprising to most.

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