Q: What is the main cause of skin cancer and how do I protect my skin?
A: The sun is the primary cause of skin cancer, however, except in extreme cases, we tell people “don’t give up anything you enjoy doing, just add sunscreen.” People think that if they don’t burn that they are safe, but this is not true. If you tan, you have damaged your skin, and this definitely can lead to skin cancer. So, your goal should be not to tan. This, of course, is where sunscreens come in. There is a bewildering assortment of sunscreens available, and we generally tell people to use a SPF 30 or higher and to use a waterproof sunscreen. A lot of this is trial and error in finding a sunscreen that you are comfortable with, but you need to find one with a high enough SPF to prevent tanning. Protective clothing is also helpful. So, to summarize, with adequate sunscreen and protective clothing, people can enjoy the outdoors and also keep their skin safe.
Trident Dermatology
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