Protecting your skin from the sun is a must

With spring here and summer just around the corner, now is the time to be thinking about good sun protection.

We all want to enjoy the sun and warmer weather but at the same time, we need to be consciousness about protecting our skin from harmful UV rays. This can be accomplished by:

• Using sunscreen products that contain an SPF of 30. My personal favorite is the sheer dry touch sunscreen.
• Wide brimmed hats
• Sunglasses
• Sun protective clothing. A number of websites offer stylish attire with serious sun protection, such as Coolibar.com and Wallaroohats.com.

Overexposure to UV radiation, either through the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds, can predispose you to premature aging of the skin, fine lines/wrinkles and skin cancers.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, making it a great time to check yourself for changes in size, shape, color of a mole or lesion and to schedule a consultation with your dermatologist for a full body skin examination.

As a board-certified nurse practitioner and provider at Marshall Dermatology, I stand by the old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” Have a great summer and stay sun protected!

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Marshall Dermatology, call 304-691-1930.