Summer Sun Safety: Save Your Skin and Avoid Treatment for Skin Cancer

Urgent Care Blog

Summertime means more time spent outdoors, wearing less clothing, and more hours of sunlight. All of these factors can increase your risk of skin cancer. According to medical experts, skin cancer is now the most common kind of cancer in the United States. And it’s most frequently caused by exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Since protection is the best prevention, you must be aware of how to safely weather the sun or you can develop skin cancer. Since the problem has become so prevalent, there are a number of skin cancer treatment methods available today, but it’s much smarter to simply stay safer in the sun and avoid the consequences of skin cancer.

Revealing Your Risk of Skin Cancer

While anyone can develop skin cancer, some people are naturally more vulnerable than others. These susceptible individuals have certain physical traits or lifestyle behaviors that increase the chance they’ll need to seek skin cancer treatment options. But being aware of your personal risk can increase your sun safety and save you from ever needing treatment for skin cancer. High-risk factors for skin cancer include:

  • A lighter skin color.
  • Skin that freckles, reddens, and burns very easily in the sun.
  • Blue or green eyes.
  • Blonde or red hair.
  • Certain types of and numerous moles.
  • Family history of skin cancer.
  • A history of sunburns, especially during childhood.
  • Using indoor tanning beds.
  • Frequent exposure to the sun.

3 Bright Ideas to Lower Your Risk

  1. Use Sunscreens with SPF 30 or Higher: SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. This relates to the amount of time you can safely stay in the sun without getting burned. To maximize your sun exposure protection, always wear a sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher every time you’re outdoors. And since sunscreen wears off over time, reapply every few hours, or more often if needed. Using sunscreen every day is a fast and easy alternative to the worry, time, and expense of treatment for skin cancer.
  2. Stay in the Shade: You may be surprised to learn that merely remaining in shaded areas can significantly lower your risk of skin damage and skin cancer. Simply staying in the shade under an umbrella, tree, or covered area can save you from having to seek out skin cancer treatment options in the future.
  3. Dress to Protect: Certain kinds of clothing offer better sun protection than others. These include tightly woven shirts, long sleeves, dry clothing, darker colors, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses. The more skin you keep covered, the more you lessen your chance of your sunburn, skin damage, and the possibility of having to undergo skin cancer treatment methods.

MD Now is Your Source for the Highest-Quality Care

If you find yourself with a bad sunburn, discover the caring, convenient, and cost-efficient treatment that can always be found at MD Now. All of our locations operate on a walk-in, no-appointment basis with hours to conveniently suit your schedule. With 26 locations throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, quality care is always within your reach. For the Florida locations nearest you, visit https://www.mymdnow.com/locations.

To learn more about our urgent care centers, visit www.MDNow.com.

MD Now® Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Centers is the leading provider of fast and affordable urgent care to adults and children in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Our state-of-the-art, walk-in medical centers are open seven days a week to deliver an affordable and convenient alternative to long emergency room wait times and the limited hours of family physicians. No appointment is necessary and major insurance plans are accepted. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of urgent care services to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, our multiple locations offer digital x-rays, EKG, lab testing, physicals, immunizations, vaccines, occupational medicine, travel medicine and selected primary care services. Find the medical care you need with the convenience you want at MD Now. Online: www.MDNow.com.

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