While the sun may feel wonderful on the skin, too much exposure to UVA and UVB rays can lead to sun damage and increase your risk for skin cancer.
Despite the abundance of information available showing the link between UV radiation and this disease, diagnosis rates continue to grow.
Our experienced physician Dr. Shehla Ebrahim is dedicated to helping you prevent and correct sun damage as well as reduce your risk for the developing the most common cancer in the North America.
To underscore how prevalent skin cancer is, current estimates indicate that approximately one in five North Americans will be diagnosed with this condition in their lifetime. While many types of skin cancer are highly treatable and rarely fatal, melanoma is not, and this kind of skin cancer has doubled its incidence rate in the last 10 years. More worrisome still, these numbers are expected to continue to rise.
For these reasons and more, children in particular need protection from the sun’s damaging rays.
- Before the age of 11, as many as 50 percent of children experience a sunburn, commonly followed by another one within a few years.
- Studies suggest that there’s a higher likelihood of developing melanoma as an adult if a child has a history of sunburns. However, utilizing proper skincare can help to limit the risk of sunburns and developing skin cancer later in life.
Buying sunscreen has become incredibly complicated.
- SPF numbers run from 2 to 70 or more.
- Some offer UVA or UVB protection and others offer broad-spectrum protection.
- Typically the best options will be comprised of proven ingredients, most notably titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which block both types of UV rays.
At Ambleside Dermedics, we often recommend the SkinCeuticals line of skincare products for their efficacy, gentleness on sensitive skin, and high quality ingredients. Comprised of Z-COTE®, a proprietary translucent version of zinc oxide, SkinCeuticals sunscreen provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection without leaving the tell-tale white marks traditional zinc creams are known for. Additionally, the sunscreens are designed to improve skin tone and texture while simultaneously combating future damage.
If you have additional questions about how to prevent sun damage and skin cancer using sunscreen, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with one of our physicians, please contact our office today.