Parents, it’s time to remind your teens about the importance of sun protection, especially young women because they have a higher risk of developing skin cancer, according to a New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center press release.
Why? Because melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer, is the most common cancer in women ages 25 to 29. But both men and women experience skin damage resulting from sun exposure during their youth.
“Even one blistering sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer,” said Anjali Dahiya, MD, a dermatologist at the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “As few as five sunburns can double your risk of skin cancer.”
For optimal skin protection, docs suggests teens and tweens apply sunscreen all over their body about 30 minutes before going outside, reapply it after swimming and use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher with UVA and UVB blocking ingredients.
Skin care experts also recommend limiting sun exposure, never using tanning beds and watching for freckles, which may be a sign of sustained sun damage.
Read “Boost Your Sunscreen IQ” to better understand how sunscreens protect you.
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