7 Tips From The Melanoma Research Foundation On How To Stay Safe In The Sun!

Written by E Kennedy on April 6, 2013

This week marks the first official week of Spring! There is nothing more exciting than seeing the temperature slowly rising, as we start to spend more time outside and really enjoy the weather. While I’m very excited to see some more of the sun this spring, its also important for everyone to realize just how dangerous the rays can be to our bodies. If you’re like me and love the sun, but burn the minute you walk out the door, it’s really important to consider starting practicing sun safety. Actually, even if you have never had a sunburn in you life its still important to know the facts.

Today I visited the Melanoma Research Foundation’s website and learned a lot about how Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can happen to anyone, no matter you skin type! After reading their website it really opened my eyes to how we all slack on practicing good sun protection. So let’s open our portable umbrellas, lather on the sunscreen and play it safe.

The Melanoma Research Foundation offers the following advice:

• Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses whenever possible.
• Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. MRF recommends a wonderful product called, JoeShade, portable umbrella, that has UV protection fabric blocking 95% of the sun’s harmful rays.
• Do not burn. Severe sunburns, especially during childhood, increase your risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancer. Just one blistering sunburn can double your chances of developing melanoma later in life.
• Use extra caution near water, snow and sand, as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which increases you chance of sunburn.
• Avoid intentional tanning and indoor tanning beds. Current research indicates there is no way to get a tan through ultraviolet exposure without increasing the risk of skin cancer.
• Get Vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements. Don’t seek the sun.
• Be aware of medications that can increase your sensitivity to sunlight. Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs have the ability to make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Thanks to the Melanoma Research Foundation we can see there are quite a few ways that we can stay sun safe. There are some very cool products that the MRF endorses, especially the popular portable umbrella, JoeShade. Personally, I know that all of these tips I’ve managed to overlook have now got my attention. This season, I’m taking care of my skin and you’ll find me under my UV portable umbrella enjoying the sunshine!

What are your best sun safety tips for this season?