Shine Safe Summer Series: How to Audit Your Sun Safety Essentials
Summer is upon us and that means sun safety is more crucial than ever!
That’s why we partnered with advocate Celine Mactaggart of Shine Safe, a non-profit and advocacy movement that is setting the sun on skin cancer. In our Shine Safe Summer Series, Celine brings you the best in prevention, sun safety, and summer inspiration.
Summer is here and the sun is out with longer days as it usually is this season. Given this unprecedented time that continues to evolve as states and counties define what it means to be open, it is understanding for most of our health attention to be on covid. For many of us who have sheltered at home, being outside has been a much-needed respite. But we also need to make some space for being mindful of other health concerns, such as skin cancer.
Skin cancer remains the number one cancer worldwide and 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with it every day. It is also a cancer that is largely preventable. With daily sun safe habits and avoiding tanning beds, we can significantly diminish our chances of getting skin cancer.
We can consider some simple questions in an effort to audit sun safety for ourselves and our families. It may work best for you to start with asking these of yourself, then asking your first circle of family members, such spouses, partners, children (examining habits of younger children and seeing if babies are protected), parents, and siblings. Even going beyond that to your friends and others who might find this exercise useful. I once had a casual conversation with some friends about this and was happy to hear their answers, get advice, and share tips and resources.
Here are 10 things to ask yourself:
When was your last skin exam with a board-certified dermatologist? I once asked a dermatologist about the importance of seeing a board-certified dermatologist. She mentioned there are over 3,000 skin diseases, and board-certified dermatologists spend years training to recognize rare conditions and diagnose skin cancers at early stages.
How well do you know your own skin? A board-certified dermatologist can make note of moles on your body, but also take a look for yourself. Are any moles changing, is something not healing, are any moles new? How often do you do a self-skin exam? Are you seeing something that might be of concern and/or that looks new on your partner on a place that isn’t visible to them, such as on their back, neck, or behind their ears?
Has your sunscreen expired? Even as someone who tries to be as sun aware as I can, I was surprised to see that I had expired sunscreen in my make-up drawer and expired bottles in the closet by my back door where I keep sunscreen for my family. I threw away all expired sunscreen and recycled the containers.
Do you have sunscreen for all members of your household in easily accessible locations? A product that might work well for someone in your family may not work well for others due to skin sensitivities, fragrance, etc. So make sure everyone has a “go-to” sunscreen in a location that works for them and is visible, such as inside the bathroom medicine cabinet next to their toothbrush, a mudroom closet near shoes or on a counter where car keys are kept.
Do your sunglasses truly offer the best UV protection for your eyes? Read sunglasses labels to ensure lenses actually protect your eyes, and determine how much light goes through the lens. You might be surprised to find that some sunglasses you have do not offer the best UV protection. It is important to be mindful of protecting the skin around your eyes and your eyeballs too, as melanoma can be diagnosed in the eye itself. Do you have wrap-around sunglasses that prevent sunlight from getting in through the sides?
Do you have UPF clothing for outdoor activities? Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is a rating given to how much a fabric blocks ultraviolet (UV) radiation. For example, a shirt with a UPF of 25 means that 4% (1/25th) of the UV radiation can go through the fabric. Do you have high UPF-rated clothing and hats for extended outdoor activities, like hiking, walking (even a daily walk around your neighborhood), and playing sports? Do you have rash guards for swimming? Make sure garments are in good condition, don’t have tears, and aren’t thinning or worn through.
Do you think you are only at risk if you have pale skin or light-colored eyes? According to the American Association of Dermatologists, people of all skin tones can get skin cancer. Even if your skin never shows signs of a burn, you are at risk.
Are children being sun safe, even during short times outside? With schools shut down and camps being cancelled, having children at home fulltime can be challenging. If sending the kids outside is an option, do they have sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses on? According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, it takes just one blistering burn to more than double your chance of developing melanoma later in life. Skin can burn in as little as 10 minutes of being in the sun, and you can get a burn even on cloudy days.
Are you getting a haircut soon? If sheltering at home has kept you from a long-awaited haircut, when you go back to getting one, could you ask your stylist if they see any moles on your scalp? This is an area you can’t see, and the Skin Cancer Foundation has a program called Heads Up!, which was developed to teach beauty professionals to spot suspicious lesions. Take the initiative and ask when getting a salon service.
Do children have what they need for when schools and camps do open? With so much uncertainty about schedules and routines, take the opportunity to equip your family now with things you might need: sunglasses (include good quality lenses for children), sunscreen, UPF clothing, rash guards and hats. Keep some extra items in different locations, such as your car glove compartment, baby stroller, often-used tote bag, and children’s backpacks.
We can all likely benefit from the joy of being outside now and in the coming months of summer. And we can do so by taking steps to be proactive about our health by scheduling dermatology appointments, and enjoying the sun in a mindful, prevention-forward way.
Celine Mactaggart is the founder of Shine Safe, the first nonprofit founded to increase awareness for skin cancer prevention with digital campaigns and integrated media. As the wife of a melanoma survivor, she hopes to inspire people to be sun safe by taking active steps towards prevention, and increase access to care and education for people. She has a master’s degree in nonprofit administration and a background in hospital philanthropy. She is the current Board Chair of Women in Leadership and Philanthropy at the University of San Francisco and has served on the Board of Regents at St. Mary’s College, a Trustee at UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances, and a Board Member at the George Mark Children’s House and Girls on the Run Bay Area. Celine is co-founder of Californians for Consumer Privacy, the group that spearheaded the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act which gives nearly 40 million Californians the strongest data privacy rights in the country and is sponsoring the California Privacy Rights Act initiative for the November 2020 ballot to make these rights even stronger.