LAFAYETTE PARISH — As families head to pools, parks and Fourth of July parties, a local physician is reminding residents that protecting their skin from the sun is an important step in reducing the risk of skin cancer.
"It is important and it does have consequences," said park-goer Keely Cooley. "If you don't take care of yourself now, you're going to look bad later — or something worse!"
That "something worse" could be skin cancer, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
Cooley said she tries to limit sun exposure during the hottest parts of the day.
"We typically just avoid those peak hours when the sun is high and it's extra hot and that UV radiation is just really high," she said.
However, Dr. Michael Oldenburg with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital said cloudy skies do not eliminate the risk of harmful ultraviolet exposure because UV rays can still penetrate through clouds. He recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours, saying sun damage can occur sooner than many people realize.
"We're so close to the equator and with the intensity of the UV rays we get, it can happen in under 30 minutes," Oldenburg said. "And so it's important that, for any amount of time you're spending outside, to show up protected."
Oldenburg said rates of non-melanoma skin cancer are increasing among younger people and that severe sunburns during childhood can raise the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. Regardless of age, he said taking simple precautions can help protect against harmful UV exposure.
"Using a good sunscreen, SPF at least 30, preferably 50, wearing long sleeve shirts when it's appropriate, and wearing a hat to cover your face, your nose, your forehead, and the back of your neck," Oldenburg said.
In addition to prevention, Oldenburg said people should monitor their skin for warning signs that could indicate skin damage or skin cancer, including lesions that change rapidly over time.
"Lesions that are bleeding spontaneously or itching or scabbing over in a way that wasn't typical before, especially lesions that are in areas that you know are getting a lot of sun exposure as sun exposure is the most common cause of skin cancer," he said.
