Teens High Risk for Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is common for middle-aged people, but the rates are increasing for the young as well. The vast majority of teenagers are constantly in the sun; from school, beach, and sport they are typically in the sun for hours on end. This puts them at a high risk for developing skin cancer either at a young age or later in life. One of the main problems is that many are unaware of the risks involved in extended periods in the sun, similarly most lack the knowledge or care to apply sunscreen daily and wear hats during sport. Awareness is a key factor in preventing skin cancer. After weekends laying on the sand or playing soccer many kids get burned regularly, putting them further in harms way. By simply being sun-smart you may be able to prevent your chances of getting skin cancer. Granted we all fall victim to forgetting sun-screen or wearing a hat, but much of this based on habit. So if we habitually wear sun-block and regularly reapply it whilst outdoors in the suns peak UV hours, we have already increased our protection. Parents also must instill such sun protection behaviors into their children from a young age. Photolink