Help Teens Practice Safer Sun

(Page 2)

Important risk factors for melanoma include:

• blistering sunburns as a child or teenager
• a large number of common moles
• any atypical (irregular-looking) moles
• a previous history of melanoma
• a family history of melanoma 

The sun's rays can not only cause skin cancers but can lead to signs of aging (wrinkles, blotchy skin) known as photodamage.

Advice for Your Teen's Sun Life
Encourage your teen to:

• Avoid midday sun -- Since the peak hours of sun intensity are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., your teen should plan outdoor activities for mornings and early evenings.   

• Wear protective clothing -- Outdoor clothes should have a tight weave to block ultraviolet rays. Your teen should wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and UV blocking sunglasses (don't forget that eyes need protection from ultraviolet light, also). Find a broad-brimmed hat that fits with your teen's fashion sense.          

• Use sunscreen liberally -- Buy and give your teen a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater. Since the SPF refers to the sunscreen's ability to block UVB rays only, make sure the sunscreen also blocks UVA rays. Remind your teen to cover commonly missed spots like the ears, lips, around the eyes, and the hands and feet. He or she should reapply the sunscreen every two hours, or more often if it comes off while swimming or drying with a towel.

• Keep in the shade -- Hanging out under trees and umbrellas is fine, but remind your teen that the sun's rays can bounce off reflective surfaces like water and still reach his or her skin.

• Never try to tan -- Your teen may hate to hear this but a tan is never healthy. A tan is nothing more than the body's way of trying to protect itself from the damaging rays of the sun.   

• Avoid tanning salons altogether -- There is absolutely nothing that your teenager can gain from the harmful ultraviolet rays in a tanning salon.

• Beware of cloud cover -- Remind your teen that during overcast days, up to 70 percent to 80 percent of the sun's UVA and UVB rays can pass through the cloud cover.