Skin Cancer prevention

While skin cancer is curable, it is also preventable. A regular routine of sun protection and sun avoidance is critical for prevention especially in young children. The following steps are recommended for reducing ultraviolet light exposure which is the main cause of skin cancer. You can still enjoy the outdoors while reducing your sun exposure with a few simple steps.

• Limit exposure to sunlight at peak intensity between the hours of 10am to 3pm.
• Wear protective clothing including a broad brim hat (4 inches or more)
• Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 with broad spectrum protection.  For more information go to Sunscreen 101 and Dr. Humphreys's Sunscreen Picks on the menu bar.
• Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or exercising. 
• Young children should avoid direct sun exposure and sunscreen is not recommended for infants less than six months of age.
• Avoid tanning salons .There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ tan! Tanning salons induce tanning with UVA exposure which cause less redness than UVB but still damages skin.