Playing it Safe in the Sun: Skin Cancer Alert
As summer nears, we all want to spend more and more time in the sun. Keep in mind that the sun can do more than just prematurely age your skin!
Did you know that skin cancer is the most common of all cancers? In the United States, it accounts for almost half of all cancer cases. According to the American Cancer Society, more than one million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in the United States each year.
Here is some advice from the American Cancer Society. You can learn more about skin cancer at: http://www.cancer.org
If you have any concerns, you should contact your physician immediately – it’s always better to be proactive!
What are the risk factors for skin cancer? According to the American Cancer Society, risk factors for non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include:
- Unprotected or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Fair complexion
- Occupational exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds or radium
- Family history of skin cancer
- Multiple or abnormal moles
- Severe sunburns as a child
What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer? Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor.
- Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
- Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule on the skin
- The spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
- A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain
Can skin cancer be prevented? According to the American Cancer Society, the best ways to lower the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer are to avoid intense sunlight for long periods of time and to practice sun safety. You can continue to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while practicing sun safety at the same time. Here are some ways you can do this: (Note, many of these are also excellent tips for helping prevent premature aging of the skin!)
- Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Seek shade: Look for shade, especially in the middle of the day when the sun's rays are strongest. Practice the shadow rule and teach it to children: If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
- Wear a shirt: Cover up with protective clothing to guard as much skin as possible when you are out in the sun. Choose comfortable clothing made of tightly woven fabrics that you cannot see through when held up to a light.
- Wear sunscreen: Use sunscreen and lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen (about a palmful) and always reapply after swimming, toweling dry, or perspiring. Use sunscreen even on hazy or overcast days.
- Wear a hat: Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat, shading your face, ears, and neck. If you choose a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.
- Wear sunglasses: Wear sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.
- Follow these practices to protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days. Remember, UV rays travel through clouds.
- Avoid other sources of UV light. Tanning beds and sun lamps are dangerous because they can damage your skin.
- Learn more at http://www.cancer.org
Best Foods for Your Skin Part Two
What is the best food for your skin? There are many foods that if eaten regularly as part of a well-balanced diet will help your skin look great. However, certain foods stand out and can provide tremendous benefits to your skin and complexion. Here's part two in our series on the best foods for your skin!
Avocados
Avocados are high in fat, but most of the fat is monounsaturated and is considered a “good fat.” An avocado is a good food for skin because – just like omega-3’s – it keeps skin plump and youthful looking and helps prevent dry skin.
Avocados contain both vitamin C and vitamin E, which act well together as a powerful skin anti-aging combination.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds provide quite a bit of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps slow down the skin’s aging processes. Sunflower seeds also provide essential fatty acids that help keep the skin lubricated and soft. Research shows that sunflower seeds may reduce the appearance of blackheads and acne and help prevent psoriasis and other skin problems.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are a good food for skin because they’re rich in vitamin A. Unlike foods containing beta carotene, which gets turned into vitamin A in the body, dairy products are a direct source of vitamin A.
Whole Grains
Whole grains, found in certain breads and cereals, are good for your skin because they are loaded with B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for normal skin functioning. They are necessary for the growth of new cells and help strengthen the skin against infections and stress. Specifically, whole grains help prevent the peeling and cracking of skin and rough skin on the feet and hands.
Additionally, replacing white flour products with whole grain products can have a tremendous effect on skin health. Research shows that white flour products can cause skin inflammation, making your skin look older than it is.
Green Tea
Green tea is a great food for skin health. It provides many benefits. First, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to play a role in preventing certain types of skin cancers by reducing the risk of damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Second, green tea is packed with a variety of antioxidants and is a great food for skin and overall good body health. Finally, green tea is high in vitamins C, D, and K, as well as riboflavin, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron – great nutrients for your whole body!
In addition to being a great food for skin, green tea extract is also used in skin creams in order for its potent antioxidant powers to work directly on the skin.
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Best Foods for Your Skin: Part One
What is the best food for your skin? There are many foods that if eaten regularly as part of a well-balanced diet will help your skin look great. However, certain foods stand out and can provide tremendous benefits to your skin and complexion. Here's part one in our series!
Berries
Berries such as blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, strawberries raspberries and cranberries, and strawberries are good for your skin! Generally, berries help the body make collagen which helps keep your skin smooth and supple. Berries are full of antioxidants that are very effective in neutralizing free radicals that can lead to skin cell damage and premature skin aging.
Blueberries and other berries are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, and both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are an excellent food for the skin! Why? It’s simple: Brazil nuts are a terrific source of selenium. Selenium improves the elasticity of skin, helps to battle skin infections, and is thought to help control acne. Selenium is necessary for the production of glutathione, which neutralizes free radicals in the body that can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin.
Brazil nuts are also a good food for skin health because they contain zinc, which helps with skin inflammation problems, skin cell growth, maintenance of collagen and elastin, and dry skin related problems such as eczema and psoriasis.
Additionally, Brazil nuts and other nuts contain essential fatty acids (good fats!) that help to prevent skin dryness and the powerful antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin E, which contribute to anti-aging of skin and good overall skin health. Other great sources of fatty acids include flaxseed and walnuts!
Carrots
Carrots are a good food for skin because they are a terrific source of beta carotene which becomes vitamin A in the body. Carrots are also a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects against free radicals and also aids in skin collagen formation, helping skin stay looking young and plump.
Vitamin A aids in the development of skin cells and the maintenance of proper skin cell health. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to dry skin, so eat plenty of carrots!
This is a little known fact, but eating carrots can even be a natural sunscreen, providing a SPF factor of 2 to 4 in people with light colored skin.
Another great food for beta carotene and vitamin C is sweet potatoes. In addition, sweet potatoes contain vitamin E which helps the body regenerate vitamin C and therefore is necessary in order to maximize the effectiveness of vitamin C. Foods that contain high quantities of vitamin C and vitamin E are very effective antioxidants for skin protection.
Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice contains anthocyanins that act to strengthen the walls of the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the skin. Ensuring that these walls stay strong can prevent them from becoming spider veins!
Salmon
Salmon and other oily freshwater fish play an important role in skin health. Salmon contains a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids which the body can’t make on its own. These fatty acids improve the skin in several ways. First, they decrease the occurrence of clogged pores. Second, they reduce the body’s production of inflammatory agents that can lead to skin damage. Finally, they reduce skin dryness and related problems such as eczema, and improving skin’s elasticity.
Omega-3 fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes. Omega-3’s prevent harmful substances from entering the cells, but allow essential, necessary nutrients in. Because these substances strengthen the cell membrane, they help to keep water in and keep the cells hydrated. This helps the skin maintain its proper moisture level resulting in plump, younger looking skin.
Salmon is also high in selenium, another important nutrient for skin health.
Stay tuned for Part Two in our series on the Best Foods for Your Skin!
Facial cleansing tips
Want great looking skin? Start by keeping it clean!
Committing to a skin cleansing regimen is paramount if you want to have better looking skin on your face. Your daily routine should consist of cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing your skin each day. Doing so should help you make a giant stride towards better looking, healthier skin.
Choose a gentle skin cleaner that works for your specific type of skin (dry, normal or oily). Follow the directions that came with your selected product or use the product to clean your face in a circular motion and then rinse with lukewarm – not hot – water.
Follow the cleansing stage with an exfoliation product to help smooth rough areas and remove dead skin cells. A good exfoliating treatment will allow your face to absorb moisturizers better.
After you’ve finished exfoliating, use a toner or an astringent to help tighten your skin and to remove any residual makeup or cleanser.
Once a week as an alternative to a toner or astringent, you could consider using a facial mask to help unclog pores and firms skin. A good facial mask treatment will leave your skin feeling soft and silky!
After you’ve cleaned, exfoliated and toned your skin, dry it with a soft towel but take care to leave a little water on your face. Next, apply a moisturizer to help protect your skin from dryness. If you have oily skin, you won’t need to moisturize as often as someone with dry or normal skin.
Depending on your skin type and how you plan to apply sun protection, you should also consider using a moisturizer with a built-in sun protection – it’s a great way to take care of two things at once!
Following this daily skin care regimen along with drinking plenty of water, exercising and protecting your skin from the sun, should start letting the real you shine through your beautiful skin! It’s imperative that you stay disciplined and stick to your cleaning regimen – don’t give up, the results will be worth it!
Play it safe in the sun!
Getting healthier skin isn’t dependent on high-cost pills or obsessive skin care routines. There are simple things you can do that require “tweaking” your daily routine just a bit – along with committing to a disciplined cleansing regimen – that will help your skin’s true beauty shine through!
Here's a simple tip that can have long-range implications:
Be Careful in the Sun
Always use a moderate strength sunscreen. By doing so, you will protect your skin from sun damage, premature aging, premature wrinkles and skin cancer. Sunburned skin will typically peel eventually, leaving skin areas blotchy and sensitive.
Indeed, too much sun can even blister your lips, leaving them red and sore – so make sure to protect your lips as well!
The best approach to preventing sunburn and other sun-caused skin problems is to monitor how much time one spends in the sun and to avoid sun exposure by using sunscreen, lotions or lip balm with SPF 15 or higher. (There are many great options for protecting your skin from sun damage including morning moisturizers with SPF built-in.)
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