From Comments from Suzanne Partridge, MD, medical oncologist and hematologist with OHC who serves as principal investigator for melanoma clinical trials research at OHC. Source: Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center for Skin Oncology

November 19, 2018

Just because the temperatures have dropped, it doesn’t mean we can forget about protecting our skin from the dangers associated with skin cancer. Ultraviolet rays can pass through those gray, overcast skies becoming especially dangerous for people heading to the ski slopes. Many “snowbirds” will head to a warmer climate and leave their sunscreen and sunglasses at home.

Protecting your skin during colder weather is just as easy as protecting it in warmer weather. Here are some tips to protect your skin during winter months:

  1. Look for sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply to all exposed areas of skin, including neck, ears, and hands, and reapply every hour and a half that you are outdoors.
  2. When skiing, remember you are much closer to the sun, and UV radiation will be even more intense. Use UV protective sunglasses and ski goggles, and don’t forget the sunscreen.
  3. Apply lip balm with SPF 30 or higher, and use makeup with SPF for added protection. The lower lip is very vulnerable to the sun’s rays.
  4. Don’t use indoor tanning booths to work on a “base tan” before a sunny winter getaway. This exposure does not protect your skin from harmful UV rays, and, more importantly, it actually increases your risk for skin cancer as well as premature skin aging. Studies have found a nearly 60 percent increase in the risk of melanoma with exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning. The risk of melanoma, as well as non-melanoma skin cancer, increases with each use.
  5. Use a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when traveling to warmer climates. There are many fun and fashionable clothing cover-up options available with built in UPF sun protection. They can be worn in and out of the water and provide excellent protection.

It’s important to follow these tips because more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. And it’s not just from the sun. More people develop skin cancer because of indoor tanning than develop lung cancer because of smoking.

So if you’re going to be on the beach and splashing around the ocean or in your front yard building a snowman, remember to protect your skin. And if you’ve made an appointment for a tanning bed, cancel it, and make your winter safer.

For more information about skin cancer, contact OHC at 1-800-710-4674 or click Contact Us on this web site.