To kick off summer, today is designated “Don’t Fry Day” by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention!
The day, scheduled on the Friday before Memorial Day hopes to help reduce rising rates of skin cancer from overexposure to the UV rays. The council encourages sun safety awareness and reminds everyone to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors. Because no single step can fully protect you and your family from overexposure to UV radiation, follow as many of the following tips as possible:
- Do Not Burn or Tan
- Seek Shade
- Wear Sun-Protective Clothing
- Generously Apply Sunscreen
- Use Extra Caution Near Water, Snow, and Sand
- Get Vitamin D Safely
You may also notice that this year’s sunscreen offerings come with different labels. To best protect yourself and your family, here are the things to look for when you shop for sunscreen this summer:
- The term “broad spectrum” has a new definition. Broad spectrum now means that a sunscreen protects against both types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB. Before, FDA rules focused on UVB rays, which cause sunburns, but UVA rays penetrate deeper and contribute to cancer and early aging, even though they don’t cause burns.
- The term “sunblock” is now banned because it is misleading. No skin protection can completely protect you from the sun.
- The terms “waterproof” and “sweatproof” will be replaced with the more accurate terms “water-resistant” and “sweat-resistant.”
- Water-resistance will be defined on product packaging to indicate how long a product will remain effective while swimming or sweating. You’ll now see either “water-resistant (40 minutes)” or “water-resistant (80 minutes)” and should better understand how often to reapply.
- The Drug Facts label will appear on all products that contact sunscreen, including cosmetics.
To learn more about the FDA’s new rules of sunscreen, visit www.fda.gov.
Watch for more sun safety tips in our biweekly newsletter American Adoptions News! Subscribe to our newsletter here, and have a wonderful holiday weekend!
