Taking Control
Slap on Sunscreen
The Sun is Mean, so wear Sunscreen!
To help reduce the risk of skin cancer you should always remember to apply sunscreen to your body.
A sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 is important to help protect your skin from dangerous burns and tans caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. If you don't apply sunscreen on a regular basis, you are more likely to develop some form of skin cancer later on in your life.
Lots of people think that you should only use sunscreen during the summer. However, to prevent aging caused by UV rays, you should wear sunscreen every day of the year-even if you're not really planning on being outside.
Important Facts on Skin Cancer
- Even animals are smart enough to protect themselves from the sun.
- Did you know that elephants and hippos can get sunburned, too? They use dust or mud as a natural sunscreen!
- Each year between 300,000 and 600,000 people are treated for skin cancer.
- 9,200 people die from skin cancer every year (7,300 from melanoma and 1,900 from non-melanoma).
- The sun’s UV rays are the strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Remember, skin cancer is the most PREVENTABLE cancer of all.
So don't be stupid.
BLOCK!
[ Next: Learn to Spot Skin Cancer ]
Hey, it’s Cool in the Shade.
Protect your skin. Protect yourself.
Some pages on this website are created and maintained by kids—members of Texas 4-H.