Love Your Skin, Wear Your Sunscreen

More than 68,000 new cases of skin cancer have been diagnosed in the United States this year. Kentucky has one of the highest incidence rates nation-wide of skin cancer caused by over-exposure to the sun.

In an effort to promote skin cancer education in our community, Lexington Clinic Foundation will launch its third annual "Love Your Skin, Wear Your Sunscreen"

public service initiative beginning in the spring of 2010. This initiative was developed to educate and raise awareness among parents, children and young adults about the serious dangers of unprotected exposure to the sun's rays.

Facts About the Sun

Sunlight contains invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays, when these rays reach your skin, they cause tanning, burning, and other serious skin damage. UV rays react with a chemical found in human skin called melanin. Melanin absorbs dangerous UV rays before the rays do serious damage to your skin.

Melanin is found in different concentrations and colors, resulting in different skin colors. The lighter your natural skin color, the less melanin it has to absorb UV rays and protect itself. The darker your natural skin color, the more melanin your skin has to protect itself. A sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure to the skin is greater than what can be protected against by the skin's melanin. For that reason, all skin colors need protection from UV rays.

• skin damage
• eye damage
• immune system suppression
• skin cancer

Most children accumulate between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18, so it is VERY important for parents to let their kids know how to enjoy fun in the sun safely. Protect all exposed skin areas with the appropriate SPF sunscreen.

What Can You Do for Yourself and Your Children?

USE SUNSCREEN!! What matters the most in a sunscreen is the degree of protection from UV rays it provides. SPF (sun protection factor) is the number listed on the sunscreen packaging, the higher the number the more protection for your skin.

APPLY SUNSCREEN CORRECTLY

• All children, regardless of their skin tone, should wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
• Apply 30 minutes before going out in the sun so a good layer of protection can form
• Be sure to use on lips, hands, ears, feet, shoulders and behind the neck, as well as beneath bathing suit straps
• Re-apply sunscreen at least every 2-3 hours and more frequently if your skin is sweating, or you have been in the water
• Waterproof sunscreen is an excellent choice for use on children who are swimming