With May right around the corner, are you aware that it is Skin Cancer Awareness Month?
Based on information from
The Skin Cancer Foundation, with over 5 million cases diagnosed in the United States each year, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. That is why observing May as
Skin Cancer Awareness Month is so important. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, the incidence of this disease reaching epidemic levels. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer. About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 85 percent of melanoma cases are associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. By raising awareness of the dangers of unprotected exposure and encouraging sun-safe habits, we can change behaviors and save lives.
While fad diets and pop science tout “cancer preventing” super foods with difficult to pronounce names, protecting yourself from the most common type of cancer really comes down to blocking UV rays. Skin cancer
affected more than 5.4 million people in the United States in a single year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all the other cancer types combined, and one in five Americans will develop it by the age of 70.
Because this risk is so great, we wanted to offer some skin cancer prevention steps you can take to protect yourself while on the go, at home, and on the job.
You may wonder why we are sharing this information with you. What does window film have to do with skin cancer prevention? Actually, professionally installed
window films are a given the
Seal of Recommendation by The Skin Cancer Foundation as a safe and effective sun protection. They warn that ultraviolet radiation can travel through car and home windows, where it can contribute to the daily accumulation of sun exposure that can lead to skin cancer and photoaging.
UV-blocking films can not only protect you against this exposure, but can offer other benefits as well. Harmful ultraviolet rays (UVR) are sneaky. Not only can they cause skin cancer and visible signs of aging, they’re also very good at finding you. They can bounce off water, off sand, and they can penetrate glass. Which means that even if you’re inside your car or house, if you’re sitting next to a window with sunlight streaming in, you’re at risk for UV damage.
Window film is an increasingly effective solution, offering substantial indoor protection by blocking up to 99.9 percent of UVA radiation.
We are happy to offer window film products that can help be part of the solution. We wanted to share this article and this information to do our part during
Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Please share this article to help raise skin cancer awareness and educate friends and family one how a product like
window film can help protect you in ways you never imagined.
UV Protection For You and Your Passengers in Automobiles
Researcher Scott Fosko, MD in an American Academy of Dermatology news release said that over 50% of skin cancers manifest on the left side of the body. He continued by saying “Our initial findings confirm that there is a correlation between more time spent driving and a higher incidence of left-sided
skin cancers, especially on sun-exposed areas in men,”
Researches attribute this split to our sun exposure while driving in the car. Given that AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that the average American spends
17,600 minutes driving each year, that’s a lot time for one half of your body to be receiving more UV radiation than the other.
To prevent skin cancer, always keep sunscreen in your car and apply before driving. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends applying a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and reapplying every two hours. Sunscreen is critical, because at least 50% of UVA rays can pass through glass, and even though they aren’t as intense as UVB rays, UVA rays are 30 to 50 times more common than UVB.
Another option is having a professionally installed window film installed. This is an even better way to filter the UV radiation that causes most types of skin cancer, because it filters all the time without the need for reapplying every two hours.
In addition, many professionally installed window films are recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation. You can check out their article on using window film for sun protection by clicking HERE.
So, as we start in
Skin Cancer Awareness Month, we hope you found this article informative and now understand how window films can play a part in your overall skin protection plan. Our company is proud to offer professionally installed window films to help protect your skin. If you would like more information on the products or services we offer,
contact us today by calling
(913) 491-8468. We are located in
Merriam, KS and service the greater Kansas City area.
