Nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the United States. Skin cancer can be serious, expensive, and sometimes even deadly. When spending time outdoors, simple options—like staying in the shade, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeved shirt, and using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher—can lower your chances of getting skin cancer and protect against signs of sun damage such as wrinkles and age spots.

Spending time outside is a great way to be physically active, reduce stress, and get vitamin D. You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can damage skin cells.

Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. In the continental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time). The UV Index forecasts the strength of UV rays each day. If the UV index is 3 or higher in your area, protect your skin from too much exposure to the sun.

How to protect your skin from the sun

• Stay in the shade.
• Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays.
• Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. **Sunscreen is not recommended for babies who are 6 months old or younger. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping infants out of the sun during midday and using protective clothing if they have to be in the sun.**
• Avoid indoor tanning

Skin Cancer Risk Factors: 

Anyone can get skin cancer, but people with certain characteristics are at greater risk:

• A lighter natural skin color.
• Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun.
• Blue or green eyes.
• Blond or red hair.
• Certain types and a large number of moles.
• A family history of skin cancer.
• A personal history of skin cancer.

For more information on how to protect yourself please click here.