HEALTH & WELLNESS
ber the bottoms of your feet and hands, and take care to cover
the beds of your toenails and fingernails, too. “Most people
don’t think to put sunscreen there,” Altshuler says.
And don’t assume that tattoos will serve as sun protection.
“You still have to wear sunscreen,” he adds. “Tattoos do not
protect against skin cancer. But they can hide skin cancers, so
they should not be placed over moles.”
To help protect yourself and your loved ones, remember
these sun-safety tips:
Wear broad-spectrum sunblock
Choose sunblock with a minimum sun protection factor
(SPF) of 15, and reapply every two hours, as all sunscreens deteriorate after that time. If you are swimming, reapply more
often. Don’t forget your lips, eyelids, between your fingers and
toes and behind your ears.
Wear protective clothing
Wide-brim hats, sunglasses, long-sleeve shirts and pants
are clothing options that will help protect you from the sun’s
rays.
Get yearly skin exams by a physician
Make annual appointments to be checked by a professional, especially if your family has a history of skin cancer.
Know the ABCs of skin cancer:
Help your kids
•
Make sure your children apply and reapply their sunblock,
“because even one sunburn as a child can increase the risk for
skin cancer,” says Farrington.
•
•
Avoid the sun
Between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., the sun’s rays are
strongest, so avoid direct sunlight during these times.
Stay in the shade
If you have to be out in the sun during high-intensity hours,
seek the cover of trees or other protective sun barriers.
•
•
Asymmetry: Half of the mole is different than the other
half.
Border: Edges are notched, uneven or blurred.
Color: The mole is uneven in color or has shades of
brown, tan and black.
Diameter: Diameter is greater than 6 millimeters, or the
size of a pencil eraser.
Elevation and evolution: The mole is raised or changes
over time. d
Learn more about how skin cancer is diagnosed and treated by visiting cancercenter.com/skin-cancer.
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ AUGUST 2016 73