3 Common Sun-Safety Mistakes Raise Skin Cancer Risk
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 3
3 Common Sun-Safety Mistakes Raise Skin Cancer Risk
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 3
Summary
Three overlooked habits can raise skin cancer risk: using too little sunscreen, skipping it indoors, and intentionally tanning.
About 1 ounce of sunscreen — roughly a shot glass full — is recommended for the whole body, with reapplication every two hours and more often after swimming or sweating.
Indoor exposure still matters because standard window glass blocks only part of UV radiation; U.S. research has found skin cancer occurs more often on people’s left sides, likely from driving.
Tanning itself signals UV damage, dermatologists say, and one recent study found tanning-bed use increased melanoma risk nearly threefold.