Getting diagnosed with skin cancer a week before Christmas was surely not what I had in mind for the holiday season last December. Long story short, my dermatologist biopsied a spot on my calf that week prior and the results were shocking. I still have a hard time really believing it. It was cancer. It hadn’t spread anywhere else so there was simply a quick surgery scheduled, a few weeks of healing required and I was back to normal. Except not. Not ever able to ignore sunscreen or skin safety for me or my kids (or even my friends’ kids – sorry!) ever again.

Naturally after that I began to research and learn a lot about skin cancer and prevention. When I read that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of their lifetime, it stunned me. One in FIVE?! Good grief, that means a lot of people will be in the same boat as me and I hate that.

Hopefully you see why I had to take this opportunity to try to enlighten other Moms. So, here are the top 5 facts about skin safety that I learned and wish I had known sooner…

• Getting even a few sun burns really does matter, especially for your kids. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that getting 5 or more sunburns as a child increases lifetime skin cancer risk by 80 percent.
• Anyone of ANY skin color can get a sun burn, sun damage and skin cancer. Those with fair skin are at the highest risk, but skin of any color is at risk of having sun exposure lead to cancer.
• The most common place for females to get skin cancer = legs. Most common place for males = backs. Keep this in mind as you dress yourself and your family when you’ll have extended sun exposure.
• Skin gets sun exposure, burn and damage through glass. This means through the windows of homes, buildings and most importantly, cars.
• Clothing does protect skin from the sun, but its effectiveness varies. For instance, a thin white T-shirt provides a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of about 5, meaning the shirt lets in about 1/5 of the sun’s rays. In contrast, blue jeans have a UPF of approximately 1700. Of note, when clothing gets wet, the water reduces its sun protection.

That said, here are the 10 best ways I can think of to help you protect your self and your kids’ skin from the sun…

• Sunscreen. Apply at least 1oz (2 tablespoons) per person of UV blocking sunscreen before being in the sun, and reapply every 2 hours if you’re still outside.
• UPF (Ultraviolet protection factor) clothing and bathing suits. A lot of kids’ and adults’ swim wear comes with a UPF rating now, and I personally find it much easier to just put on a long sleeve swim shirt or even swim leggings on my kids instead of slathering them with sunscreen. (There are lots of UPF clothing brands like Coolibar and UV Skinz to name a few. Also, the rashguards with UPF in them are available at Old Navy, Gap, LL Bean, and many others.) If not UPF clothing, wear long sleeves and leggings or pants whenever possible.
• Natural shade – stay under the trees. This one is a no-brainer of course, but be mindful of the fact that water reflects UV rays, so sunscreen is definitely still needed if you’re in the shade but in or near water.
• Shade sails. These canopy-like structures that you often see above restaurant patios or local pools can also create a nicely shaded part of your deck or yard. (Tip: I bought two at Costco and had my husband help me hang them above our back patio. Less than $50 total and a great way to not only block the sun but beat the heat too!)
• Tinted windows. Get your windows tinted professionally if they aren’t already, or buy temporary shades for at least the windows next to your kids.
• Beach umbrellas. Bring one with you to stick in the sand! It’s the easiest way to enjoy the beach but protect you and your little ones from too much sun exposure.
• Hats. This is so simple but so helpful. Protect scalps, eyes, necks and faces from sun damage while making a fashion statement too!
• Sunglasses. Not only does the skin around our eyes wrinkle easily, but did you know that your eyes can get sunburned and cause temporary blindness? How scary. But it’s true – here is a story about how Anderson Cooper had this happen to him. Protect your eyes and let your kids pick out their own sunglasses to encourage wearing them as often as possible outdoors.
• Timing. The sun’s rays are strongest and most damaging from 10am – 4pm. Try to reduce sun exposure during those hours or at least take extra precautions if you can’t avoid being in the sunshine then.
• Dermatologist. Be sure to get an annual skin check. Austin Moms Blog is proud to have local Austin-based River Place Dermatology as a sponsor and we know they would love to have our readers visit them for help with skin safety anytime.

How do you protect your family’s skin from the sun? Let us know – the more tips the better!

(Read more about these facts and other helpful tips at www.skincancer.org)