Sun Safety

OSU Extension offers DermaScan skin viewings to raise awareness of skin damage caused by the sun. These scans are accompanied with easy-to-follow recommendations for protecting your skin from UV rays and being sun smart.* FCS Educators also offer interactive PowerPoint lessons on protecting your skin for both adult and youth audiences.

While it’s nice to get out and enjoy the sunshine, be sure to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays. May is national melanoma/skin cancer detection and prevention month, so help spread the word about prevention and detection. Check out The ABCDs of melanoma from the American Academy of Dermatology as well as How to perform a self-exam from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Follow these tips from the American Cancer Society for prevention measures:

• Limit UV exposure
• Stay in the shade
• Protect your skin with clothing
• Wear a hat
• Use sunscreen
• Wear sunglasses
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps
• Protect children from the sun
• A word about sunlight and vitamin D
• Check for abnormal moles and have them removed
• Genetic counseling and testing

For more details including questions to ask your doctor, fact sheets, interactive library, and sun safety quiz, please visit the American Cancer Society’s Melanoma Skin Cancer page. Also be sure to check out Ohioline for more tips including Sun Exposure and Ultraviolet Light.

*DermaScans are not intended to serve as a diagnosis for skin cancer. Instead, they are designed to help raise awareness of the importance of skin safety