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Monday, June 22, 2015

Sun Safety: Preventing Skin Cancer PLUS Enter to Win a Sportbrella!

Congratulations to Javis in IT! He is the winner of the Sportbrella!


Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with Utah having the highest rates of melanomas; the most deadly form of skin cancer; in the nation!

There are many things that may lead to skin cancer. Some of these things are out of our control, but by reducing exposure to the sun and other UV rays we can lower our chances of getting skin cancer.

Things We Can't Control:
Family history
Light skin type
Intensity of the sun
High altitude

Things We Can Control:
Time spent in sun
UV rays from tanning beds
Amount of skin exposed to sun

Only a doctor can tell if you have skin cancer. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual moles, bumps, or red patches, or if you notice a change in any moles you already have. It may be a good idea to perform monthly self-skin checks as well. Things to look for include:
  • Moles with a dark color (blue, black, purple, green, etc)
  • Moles that are not the same color or shade throughout
  • Moles with irregular/wavy borders
  • Moles that are asymmetrical (one side looks different than the other side)
  • Moles that are bigger around than the eraser on the top of a pencil
  • Spots that itch or bleed
  • Changes in any moles, bumps, or rough patches

To lower the chance of skin cancer, adults and children should always wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. In addition to sunscreen, these tips should be followed:
  • Avoid being in the sun at the hottest times of the day. This is when the sun's UV rays are the strongest.
  • Stay in the shade as much as possible
  • Wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts
  • Wear sunglasses
  • Wear a hat

What Do You Do to Protect Your Skin?
Let us Know in the Comments and Be Entered to Win a Sportbrella! (giveway has ended)
Must be a Weber County Employee to Win
List your name and department in your comment

9 comments:

  1. I just bought a sunhat to wear to the lake this summer. Instead of relying on sunscreen, I'm just going to cover up.

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  2. We use sunscreen, hats & sunglasses to protect us from the sun. My kids also wear swim shirts while swimming for more sun protection.
    Kristi -health

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  3. My family uses a lot of sunscreen along with some type of umbrella to shield us from the direct sun. Sunglasses also a must.

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  4. My family uses a lot of sunscreen along with some type of umbrella to shield us from the direct sun. Sunglasses also a must.

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  5. I sunburn easily so I carry a tube of suntan lotion in my car and wear a hat when I'm out in the sun for extended periods of time.

    -Javis
    Weber County IT

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  6. I forget to use sunscreen sometimes but I use makeup and chapstick with SPF to keep me protected all the time.
    Lyndsey Winger
    Nursing-Health Dept.

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  7. My family uses sunscreen, hats, and chapstick with SPF protection to protect our skin.

    Leticia Faust
    Health- Nursing

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  8. I use a high SPF sunscreen and a sun hat that has a SPF within the hat. The easiest time to forget is when it may be overcast but the chances of sunburn are still great.

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  9. My family and I always try to wear hats when we are out in the sun. It's a small step but keeps the sun off our faces and out of our eyes, plus as a bonus it takes much less time to get ready to go since we don;t have to wait for "someone" to do their hair :)

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