4th of July Weekend is upon us, which is a good time to remind everyone to Stay Safe in the Sun!
As you jump in and out of the water at the pool, beach, river, or while firing up the grill, playing games outdoors and celebrate America’s Independence Day, let’s revisit smart things to do to protect you and your family, including older relatives and kids, from exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Never Forget: A Burning Red Sunburn Can Hurt Your Skin Your Entire Life
Like any other burn, sunburns, no matter how minor, indicate your skin has been injured. Every sunburn you get, the more burns you get, and the more time you spend in the sun, it all has a cumulative effect and greatly increases your risk of developing skin cancer.
What to do to Protect Children From the Sun?
Children are just starting their lifetime exposure to UV rays, and need the same sunscreen protection and protective clothing as you do.
Oncologist Dr. Mark Pomper says, “Little kids shouldn’t be out in the sun the whole day or during the hottest part of the day. But when they are outdoors, especially during holidays when they most often are outside longer than usual, lather them with sunscreen a lot and often. Slather it on. You need more than you think you need. And make sure you rub it in and get every part of the body exposed to the sun, like the top of the ears and even under their neck.”
“Many parents don’t understand what sunburns can do to a child later in life, but as a doctor who treats skin cancer everyday, I can tell you, it can become a big and constant health issue as you get older, and even younger people today are getting skin cancer, so listen to me when I tell you, do everything you can to avoid sunburns. You will thank me later.” (He laughs)
Remember:
- It’s never too early or to late to start wearing clothing that protects you from the sun, and teach your children early on to do the same. If you do they will likely continue doing it throughout their lives.
- Children and people of all ages also need to wear sunglasses that have UVA and UVB ratings to protect their eyes. It can help prevent cataracts and eye cancer.
- We can’t stress this strongly enough: Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. Rub it on about every two hours, or more often if you and your kids are swimming throughout the day or are getting wet and sweaty.
Don’t Let the Sun Ruin Your Holiday: Be SunSmart and have a Happy Healthy Safe 4th of July from all of us at CyberKnife Miami.
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