Did you know?

1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime (according to the American Academy of Dermatology). Don’t let that be you! Thankfully, there are many ways to avoid sun damage; the five most important are: 

• Seek shade: The sun is hottest during the day from 10AM to 2PM. Here’s a cool trick: if your shadow is shorter than you, you should hang-out in the shade because the sun is really strong. You can find this under a tree or umbrella.

• Cover up: Sunglasses and hats are fun to wear and help protect your eyes and face from the sun. Long-sleeved shirts and pants are good too for protecting you from the sun. You can wear light shirts or pants in the summer when it’s hot! 

• Sunscreen: Sunscreen comes in different SPFs, which stands for Sun Protection Factor. SPF 15 is the lowest you can have to help prevent skin cancer, but it is recommended to go with SPF 30 or higher. Your parents can help you pick one out. You should wear sunscreen every day! You can put it on after you brush your teeth or after you shower. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or cloudy—the sun’s rays are strong and can get through those clouds! Don’t forget to put sunscreen on your face too!

• Be careful around water, sand, and snow: Of course you can’t ignore the water and sand when you go to the beach or the snow if you go skiing, but you should make sure to put on extra protection. The sun’s rays can reflect off the water, sand, and snow and increase your chance of sunburn. So slather on that sunscreen! 

• Stay away from tanning beds: Hopefully you aren’t already using tanning beds. They have the same kind of rays the sun does and can damage your skin, making it look older over time, putting you at a higher risk for skin cancer. It’s not worth it! 

Find more information at https://www.aad.org/public-health

Activites and sun safety info for kids:

childrens-sun-safety-toolkit 

https://www.aad.org/flyers-posters 

https://www.aad.org/lesson-plans