May is Skin Cancer & Melanoma Month
Spring is in full swing and the sun is (hopefully) shining. In these COVID-times, many people are finding more time to spend out doors. It’s wonderful to enjoy the sunshine and soak up some vitamin D! But we need to remember it is soooo important to protect our skin. It is, after all, our body’s largest organ!
My daughter just figured out she is tall enough to ride my “mountain bike” and she’s been finding freedom and relief from “homeschooling” every afternoon by heading out on the bike. After that first day, we quickly remembered to keep the sunscreen handy! Her nose, cheeks, and forehead were just crispy after shining her face to the sun all afternoon, basking in its glow!
At my house, we love to use the BeautyCounter Sunscreen because we can trust that it is free from cancer-causing chemicals. They’ve got lots of sun protection products to choose from, at different size and price points. Our go to products are the Countersun Mineral Sunscreen and the Countersun MIneral Sunscreen Stick. If I run out or need a quick fix from the local store, I always make sure to check my Healthy Living App from the Environmental Working Group for information on the safest sunscreens I can buy at the store.
Skin cancer is actually the MOST common form of cancer diagnosed. More than 5 million cases per year are diagnosed in the United States alone! Personally, I think it is so important to make sure you are getting 10-15 minutes of sun exposure per day to keep your body’s natural production of vitamin D going, beyond that, we all need to be applying sunscreen and protecting our skin!
Skin Cancer is the cancer you can SEE! So, be sure you are paying attention to the skin all over your body. Be on the lookout (BOLO, in cop-talk) for anything new, changing, or unusual. And, we’re even sharing this handy-dandy reference tool courtesy of Patient Resource. Download it below.
Image Provided by the California Dept of Public Health
