7 Steps to Sun Safety

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7 Steps to Sun Safety
Employee Wellness Program 2310 N. First Street,
Suite 103 San Jose, CA 95131 (408)
299-5825 www.sccgov.org/wellness
Sources Sun Safety Alliance www.sunsafetyalliance
.org, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention www.cdc.gov, American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
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1. STAY IN THE SHADE

• Avoid the sun from 1000 AM to 400 PM. This is
  when sun rays are strongest.
• Dont be fooled by cloudy skies. Up to 80 of
  the suns rays can get through clouds.
• Stay in the shade as much as possible throughout
  the day.

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2. USE SUNSCREEN

• Buy sunscreen products with the labels
• SPF 15 or more
• broad spectrum
• water-resistant
• Rub the sunscreen evenly on all uncovered skin 15
  to 30 minutes before going outside. Be sure to
  put it on your eyelids, lips, nose, ears, neck,
  hands and feet. If you do not have much hair,
  put it on the top of your head.
• Reapply sunscreen often. Read the product label
  to see how often.

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3. WEAR A HAT

• Hats can help shield your skin from the suns UV
  rays.
• For the most protection, wear a hat with a wide
  brim all the way around that shades the neck,
  ears, eyes, and head.
• If you choose to wear a baseball cap, you should
  also protect your ears and the back of your neck
  by using sunscreen or wearing clothing that
  covers those areas.
• When possible, avoid straw hats with holes that
  let sunlight through.

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4. WEAR SUNGLASSES

• Buy only sunglasses that offer 99-100 UV
  protection.
• People who wear contact lenses that offer UV
  protection should still wear sunglasses.
• Sunglasses that wrap all the way around the
  temples can help protect your eyes from light
  that enters through the side.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from
  sunlight reflecting off concrete, sand, water,
  and snow. These surfaces reflect 85 to 90 of
  the UV rays.

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5. COVER UP

• Cover as much of your body as possible if you
  plan to be outside on a sunny day.
• Loose, lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and long
  pants or long skirts made from tightly woven
  fabric offer the best protection against the
  suns UV rays.
• If wearing this type of clothing isnt practical,
  at least try to wear a t-shirt or a beach
  cover-up and double up on protection by using
  sunscreen or staying in the shade.

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6. AVOID ARTIFICIAL TANNING METHODS

• Sunlamps and tanning beds emit UV radiation and
  can be as dangerous as tanning outdoors.
• Tanning pills have a color additive that turns
  your skin orange after you take them. The large
  amount of color additive in tanning pills may be
  harmful.
• Sunless tanning lotions, creams, and spray-on
  products are not sunscreen lotions and will not
  protect your skin from the sun.

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7. CHECK FOR SIGNS OF SKIN CANCER

• Tell your doctor if you have any of these
  symptoms
• 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
• 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