Longer days are here; remember to wear sunblock

A number of people I know have had skin cancer. Some have had less dangerous kinds, a few have had melanoma. I’ve read that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes.

For those of us in middle age, the use of sunblock was not common when we were children. Consequently, burns and sun exposure from years ago may be contributing to skin problems and cancers now.

Don’t add to your future risk. Remember to use sunblock or cover up when you are outside! It’s a good practice to put sunblock on your face, hands and other exposed skin whenever you leave the house.

For more information about sun safety and other topics, visit The Skin Cancer Foundation or the Centers for Disease Control’s Skin Cancer page.

Not sure what melanoma looks like? See the American Melanoma Foundation’s guide to symptoms of melanoma.

Worried about getting enough vitamin D? Other than by sun exposure, people get vitamin D through food such as fish, fortified juice, fortified dairy products or with a supplement. WebMD’s article on Vitamin D discusses this further.