Save a Life This May During Skin Cancer Awareness Month
During the month of May organizations including the Skin Cancer Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Institute for Cancer Research, the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Association for Cancer Research, as well as several medical centers, schools, and businesses, including us here at UV Skinz®, spread awareness about skin cancer and ways to help save a life through prevention.
For our CEO and Founder Rhonda Sparks, spreading awareness about skin cancer is absolutely imperative. She lost her husband Darren to melanoma in 2001 and has been passionately advocating for skin cancer education, awareness, and prevention since then. In fact, that's how UV Skinz® was born!
Continue reading to learn how you too can help save a life by spreading awareness about skin cancer this May!
Why Do We Need to Raise Awareness About Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer cases have risen mostly due to a lack of education and awareness around the importance of sun safety and sun protection measures. We need to raise awareness about skin cancer because doing so can help save lives.
According to studies conducted by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health skin cancer has risen dramatically in recent decades.
According to the National Library of Medicine, skin cancer, including squamous, basal, and melanoma, are the most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer worldwide. Melanoma is the third most common type of cancer among young adults between the ages of 15 and 39, which means early skin cancer prevention and education are key.
What's most alarming about these numbers is that, per the CDC, 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 85% of melanoma cases are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun, which is totally preventable!
What Is the Leading Cause of Skin Cancer?
Exposure to UV radiation from the sun or indoor tanning beds is the leading cause of skin cancer AND the most preventable type of cancer! Surprisingly not many people are aware of this.
A survey conducted by the CDC found that 50.1% of all adults and 65.6% of white adults ages 18 to 29 reported being sunburnt in the last 12 months, which shows us that proper sun protection measures aren’t being followed correctly.
According to a survey done by ABC News, one-third of all Americans don’t even use sunscreen! And many people “Google” questions such as “How to use sunscreen,” “When to use sunscreen,” and “How often should you reapply sunscreen?”
There is clearly an urgent need to spread awareness about the dangers of excessive UV exposure and how keeping yourself out of the sun or protecting yourself from the sun with sunscreen and UPF 50+ swimwear and clothing is key to preventing skin cancer.
How Do You Prevent Skin Cancer?
As most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to UV rays, you need to stay protected from UVA and UVB rays. Here are some ways you can do just that and help prevent skin cancer:
- Stay in the shade.
- Avoid indoor tanning booths entirely.
- Wear ultraviolet protective fabric (UPF) clothing and swimwear with a 50+ rating.
- Put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher (per the Skin Cancer Foundation) and a lip balm with an SPF rating of 30+ too.
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
- Wear a wide-brim UPF 50+ sun hat that protects your face.
- Wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.
- Try to stay out of the sun when the UV index is high.
According to the CDC, UV rays in the U.S. are strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time), so also try to avoid the sun at those times if possible or cover up appropriately.
How Can You Support Skin Cancer Awareness Month?
Skin cancer awareness is all about sharing the importance of sun protection methods, such as wearing sunscreen and protecting your skin with UPF 50+ clothing, with those you love. Here are some ways you can support and educate the people in your life to help them stay skin cancer free:
- Bring broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen to the beach/pool, and encourage your loved ones to use it and reapply it.
- Buy your loved ones UPF 50+ clothing, such as beach cover-ups, sun hats, or bathing suits.
- Choose to do an outdoor activity when the UV index is lower.
- Educate your loved ones on the importance of sunscreen, lip balm, and UPF clothing/swimwear.
- Protect young babies by covering their skin with UPF 50+ clothing, as they can’t wear sunscreen under 6 months of age.
- Share this blog post with your loved ones on social media.
FAQs About Melanoma Monday
Melanoma Monday falls on May 1 every year. It is part of the Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of Melanoma and how to prevent it.
What Day Is Melanoma Monday?
The first Monday in May is Melanoma Monday.
Who Established Melanoma Monday?
The American Academy of Dermatology established Melanoma Monday.
How Do You Observe Melanoma Monday?
You can observe Melanoma Monday by wearing black and educating yourself and your loved ones on the importance of sun safety tips to prevent melanoma. You can also do the following to raise awareness about melanoma on this day:
- Share this blog post with the hashtag #melanomamonday.
- Learn about melanoma diagnosis and prevention.
- Encourage your loved ones to get a skin cancer screening.
What Is UV Skinz® Doing to Help Spread Skin Cancer Awareness?
UV Skinz® is proud to share our Save a Baby’s Skin Campaign, which we do every May to raise awareness about the importance of sun safety early on. This May 2023, all orders will receive a UPF 50+ baby swim shirt for FREE to help spread awareness about skin cancer prevention.
We’ve donated millions of FREE baby sun protection swim shirts to date!
Stay up-to-date on the latest UPF 50+ swimwear and clothing we offer and remember to continue to educate your loved ones on the importance of sun safety to prevent skin cancer.
