Maddie

Picture this: you’ve taken your family on a beach vacation. You are getting ready for the day and you slather your kids head-to-toe in SPF 75+ sunscreen. You put on hats, UPF clothing, and bring your beach umbrella. But did you remember to take sun protection precautions for yourself as well?

I know that I am guilty of covering my kids in sunscreen (picture the white zinc-oxide nose from old beach movies) but then forgetting to put enough on myself. I have mentioned in a previous post that I am very fair skinned and prone to getting tons of freckles. I sunburn incredibly easily.

Photo via Aspenclub.com

My mom is the same way, and she has already had skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma in countless places and melanoma in several others. Luckily it was caught early enough that removing the affected areas stopped the cancer’s spread. I was a lifeguard and baked in the sun each summer for 5 years, from ages 16-21. I’m sure that skin cancer is in my future, too.

So what can we do to protect our skin from the sun on a daily basis, particularly as busy moms? There’s a few steps that you can take for sun protection:

Sun Protection Tips

  • Use sunscreen every day. This should be a part of your morning routine each day. I focus on my face and arms, because those are the places that get the most sun exposure while I go about my everyday activities.
  • Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Most sun prevention products on the market today are broad-spectrum, meaning that they protect from both UVA and UVB rays. Check the label on the sunscreen that you purchase to make sure that you are getting the most coverage possible.
  • Cover up when you’re outside. This may seem counter-intuitive when it comes to avoiding the summer heat, but wearing long sleeves and a hat while you are outside can help reduce sun exposure. Don’t forget sunglasses to protect your eyes and lip balm with SPF to keep your lips from getting burned.
  • Apply sunscreen everywhere when you plan to be in the sun for a long time. Don’t forget places like the tops of your feet, backs of your hands, ears, and scalp. Skin cancer can form anywhere.

This blog post is brought to you by TruHue Makeup – Five Minutes to a Flawless Face. TruHue’s founder, Marcella Cardinal, is an accomplished makeup artist who has begun her own makeup line to help her customers achieve a beautiful, polished look in their everyday lives. You can check out her makeup system here.

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Category: Featured

Tags: cancer