May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and a great time to remind ourselves about how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. Unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. You need protection even if it's cool and cloudy. Clouds do not block UV rays; they filter them and only slightly at that.
Everyone should use a daily sunscreen, and Dr. Moravec recommends a physical filter sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 and protection from both UVA and UVB sun rays. Look for ingredients Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. They protect by staying on top of the skin and act as a barrier to the sun's damaging rays. These two products are great for those people who do not like to "feel" the product on their skin or are prone to breakouts.
If you have any suspicious-looking spots, you should check with your primary care doctor or
Dr. Moravec.
