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By
Diane Forrest
When I was in high school and college the big thing was
to lay out and tan. We would get spray
bottles and fill them with olive oil, and bake in the sun like steaks grilling
on the grill. I remember one cold day in
March, the sun was shining, but it was a bit chilly. That didnt stop me from getting an early
start on my tan. As I was laying on the
lounger I looked up and saw a helicopter hovering over me. It was my father with some work
associates! They had been checking power
lines, and talking about one of the perks of the job was getting to see the
girls out tanning. It being cold out,
they weren't having any luck until my father said, oh I know one girl out
tanning! He was right.
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Luckily I became educated in the dangers of U V light and
my tanning days ended as well as my days of smelling like a burnt salad. Now if
I am planning a day out in the sun I lather on protection with sun screen, the
highest available. With this being
Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer and vacations, it is the perfect
time to start stocking up on Sun screen.
Sunlight consists of ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B
rays, both of which are harmful to humans. UVA rays cause suppression of the
immune system, which has a negative impact on the body's ability to protect
against the development and spread of skin cancer. UVB rays cause a sunburn to
occur, which can also lead to the development of skin cancer.
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There are more than one million cases of skin cancer
diagnosed in the United States each year. To minimize your risk, wear sunscreen
to protect your skin from the sun — even on non-sunny days. Sunscreen should be
applied 15 to 30 minutes before going outside and should be reapplied every two
hours or after swimming or sweating. Even if you do not typically burn from the
sun, your skin is still at risk from the harmful UV rays.
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Today is Sun Screen Day.
Don't forget to spread some protection on yourself, and family members,
especially small children and the elderly.
Enjoy the sun, and
keep safe.
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