After two years of Corvid, together with present cost of living crisis, plane and train travel shambles, and GP and hospital pressures, we all need the relief of a summer break!
Let’s laze on a sunny summer beach in Cornwall!
Sunbathing in the summer sunshine lifts our spirits, banishes depression and will bring joy to our hearts. But let us not forget that over-exposure to the sun’s warm rays can cause skin cancer.
We can reduce the risk of skin cancer, (melanoma), by remembering to protect our bare skin from excess exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
It is essential that we engage in good sun exposure habits, applying a ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen against UVA and UVB, with a protection factor of at least 30. And we need to stay out of the sun in late morning and early afternoon, when the UV exposure is at its most intense.
That ‘Healthy Tan’ ceases to be Healthy if it results in skin cancer. This is particularly so with young children. Overexposure to the sun’s UV rays during childhood and adolescence is a major factor in determining future skin cancer risk.
Middle-aged and older white people should regularly check their skin for unusual moles, sores, lumps, blemishes or changes in the way their skin looks. If more people did this every month, then fewer people would need treatment for advanced melanoma
Skin Cancer can kill. But Cancer Prevention is better than Cancer Cure!
Further Reading
Stopcancer’ Health – Be Sun-Safe this summer
NHS UK – Sunscreen and Sun Safety
American Cancer Society – Signs and symptoms of Skin Cancer
Cancer Council Australia – Sun protection, infants and adolescents
Keywords: cancer, melanoma, skin cancer, sunbathing, Cornwall, UV exposure, sunscreen, NHS
