Dermatologist: Wear Sunscreen 365 Days A Year
CHICAGO (CBS) -- If you think you don't need to wear sunscreen because it's not summer yet, you're wrong.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, the sun may not be as close to us now as it will be in late June and early July, but dermatologist Dr. Roopal Kundu of Northwestern University says the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays can damage your skin 365 days a year.
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Kundu says you should really be using sunscreen all year long – and not just on summerlike days as we've been experiencing lately. She says sunscreen is necessary even when it's 30 degrees outside.
"UV radiation is affected by multiple factors, such as time of year, but it is important to protect yourself from the sun 365 days of the year, as sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer," Kundu said.
Kundu says even in the 30s, and even on a cloudy day, UV light can penetrate and increase the sun damage to your skin.
She adds that skin cancers can affect people of all ages. A total of 3.5 million cases of skin cancer a year are diagnosed in the United States, an on average, one person dies ever hour of melanoma, Kundu says.
But the good news, she says, is that sunscreen can be found at stores all year round now.
Kundu also says you should reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours all year long, too – more frequently when you're in the water.
