Skin cancer affects more people annually than any other form of cancer. Each year, approximately 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma-related skin cancer cases were being treated in the US. According to 2012 skin cancer research, 3.3 million people are living with the condition. Skin Cancer Awareness Month is about raising awareness for this common condition.
You don’t have to be in the sun all day to be at risk
Skin cancer is commonly thought of as a condition caused by those who remain in the sun all day. Many people subscribe to the belief that people who spend too much sun are at risk for the condition. Believe it or not, only a limited amount of sun exposure can lead to sun damage. People who spend too much time in the sun are more at risk of getting skin cancer, but people who are only exposed to sun for a small amount of time are equally at risk. A person who is fair skinned should spend a maximum of 12 minutes in the sun with no UV protection. A person with darker skin cannot afford to spend more than 50 or 60 minutes at a time in the sun.
Being indoors still puts you at risk for sun exposure
UV rays are harmful if exposed to them. They are harmful if you are inside or outside the home. Mere exposure is enough to put people at risk. An estimated 90 percent of skin cancer cases are connected to exposure to sunlight. This means that you can be at risk of getting skin cancer spending much of your time inside the home. Ultraviolet rays penetrate the windows in the home. This increases your overall exposure to unnecessary sun damage. UV blocking films applied to the windows can reduce sun exposure when indoors. UVA filtering films can limit the amount of sunlight that can enter the home. The film applied to various surfaces filters UVA and UVB rays. UV window film that has a rating of SPF of 285 will block most of the sunlight. UV film is capable of blocking out more than 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays.
Sunburn occurs year-round
Sunburn can occur any time there is exposure to sunlight. Even if no sunburn occurs, exposure still puts you at risk of cellular damage. The infrared rays present in sunlight leads to skin damage. Being out in the sun at any given time increases your risk to skin damage. You can be exposed to too much UV radiation throughout the year. People who reside in the warmer regions are still at risk of excessive sun exposure during the winter months due to the prevalence in sun exposure. UV rays are not something you feel, they are just present.
An occasional sunburn can be just as dangerous as repeated, daily, prolonged exposure to sunlight. A person who is sunburned every 2 years faces increased risks of skin cancer. Limited exposure to sunlight poses risks, so monitoring and controlling the amount of exposure of sunlight is imperative when indoors and outdoors. Proper protection outdoors and protective window film applications are both effective in minimizing risks of skin damage.
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