HEALTH & WELLNESS

Senior Life Health & Wellness

Protect from UV damage with sunscreen, hat, sleeves

SENIOR LIFE Brenda Eggert Brader

Jeannine Paquin uses sunscreen to protect her skin.

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Protection from ultraviolet rays is the safest way to be outside in the Florida sunshine. Using sunscreen or completely covering up are the only methods of avoiding skin cancer, the most common cancer.

“Using sunscreen of 30 to 50 percent is what should be used,” said Dr. Rhu-Jade Rajuindin, a primary care physician at Rockledge Regional Medical Center. “Statistics say that by the age of 70, 1 in 5 Americans will have developed skin cancer.”

Skin cancer research states that 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and more than two people die of skin cancer in the United States every hour.

SPF stands for sun protection factor. The number tells how long the sun’s ultraviolet rays will take to redden your skin if you apply the sunscreen exactly as directed, compared to not using sunscreen.

“I put sunscreen with SPF 50 on about a half-hour before I go out and let it soak in,” said Jeannine Paquin, who is a daily swimmer. “Some

SENIOR LIFE photo

Dr. Rhu-Jade Rajuindin is a primary care physician at Rockledge Regional Medical Center.

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people don’t have a problem with skin cancer, but I am fair-skinned. In the past, I wasn’t big on taking care of my skin.”

“I like to play golf, and sunscreen is kind of messy, so I use an elastic sun sleeve for UV arm protection,” Rajuindin said. “Of course, use that with a hat with a brim, not a cap for your ears, and the nose would still be exposed. Those are two areas you can get skin cancer.

“At least once a year, you should have a full body skin check with a dermatologist, especially if you have fair skin.”

– Dr Rhu-Jade Rajuindin

“In my practice, I usually see discoloration or lesions, usually on the forehead,” Rajuindin said. “At least once a year, you should have a full body skin check with a dermatologist, especially if you have fair skin. The primary care doctor can check and knows the spot looks suspicious, but the dermatologist has a special tool that magnifi es the spot and can then do a biopsy under a microscope.

“When you wear sunscreen, put it on 15 to 30 minutes before going into the sun, and then, if you read the label, you should reapply, if swimming, every three to four hours.” SL