Think You Know It All About Sunscreen? Think Again!

Jul 5, 2018

Since July is national skin cancer awareness month, Dr. Nikko and his staff want you to not only use sunscreen but be aware of how to use it most effectively. If you don’t use it right, it’s not helping. Some people believe that if it’s cloudy or overcast outside that they don’t need sunscreen. Wrong! Eighty percent (80%) of ultraviolet radiation from the sun passes right through clouds. Many patients might feel because they work indoors that they don’t need sunscreen. Wrong again! The sun’s UV A rays cut through windows in homes, offices, and cars like Superman’s x-ray vision cuts through lead. UV A rays are the ones that can do the most damage in terms of skin cancer. Others think that if the bottle says “all day protection,” they’re covered. Not! No sunscreen product protects the skin all day long. Sunscreens have to be reapplied every two hours, and even more often if you’ve been in the water or sweating. Finally, individuals with darker skin pigmentation think they need not apply sunscreen. No!! Even if you don’t turn lobster red after being in the sun, apply sunscreen. All humans with skin can develop skin cancer. All these situations have one thing in common: apply sunscreen! It makes Dr. Nikko and his staff very sad to see patients who’ve developed skin cancer– especially when the prevention is so easy and inexpensive. Houstonians: Take care of your skin and put on that sunscreen.