There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about the sun and sunscreen…and with summer right around the corner, it’s necessary that I remind you of a few things to help you avoid burning or developing skin cancer.

20 Minutes Because You Don’t Even Realize You Are Burning Until It’s Too Late!
When I recommend limited sun exposure, I don’t mean for you to completely avoid the sun…but I strongly recommend protecting yourself from too much sun exposure which can quickly cause your skin to burn. The ideal amount is about 20 minutes every day, not in the heat of the day (10am to 2pm) when the sun’s UV rays are strongest.

Benefits of the Sun
Why 20 minutes? This is the average amount of time in the sun that our body needs to naturally generate a sufficient amount of Vitamin D3 – which has many benefits for the body both physically and emotionally.

Benefits of the Sun
Why 20 minutes? This is the average amount of time in the sun that our body needs to naturally generate a sufficient amount of Vitamin D3, which has many benefits for the body physically and emotionally.

Research on Vitamin D3 has demonstrated its ability to:
naturally fight cancer
boost the immune system
improve mood

Dangers from the Sun
While there are benefits from the sun, there are also dangers. The long term negative effects predominantly come from the ability of the sun’s UV radiation to damage cellular DNA. This leads to genetic mutation and cellular malfunction that causes premature aging, and ultimately can cause cancer. As our understanding has increased we’ve learned that we need to protect our skin from both the sun’s longer ultraviolet A (UVA) and shorter ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

A short blog…but powerful information that I want you to really get it.

This rest of this blog will follow shortly.

Have fun in the sun safely!

Steven Davison

Board Certified Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon

SCREENING & PROTECTION INFORMATION  from Dr. Steven Davison

Here are a few more tips on Melanoma…since May is National Skin Cancer awareness month.  See my last blog for detailed information on the three types of skin cancer and most critically… melanoma skin cancer.

SCREENING:  Melanoma can be deadly but is treatable with immediate diagnosis and early treatment.  After Melanoma spreads to the lymph nodes, the 5 year survival rate possible with treatment, drops to 62% and 15% respectively.

You can self-screen to check for skin cancers or you can see a dermatologist or sign up for a “free” cancer screening.  They are offered frequently around the country.

SELF CHECK for MELANOMA:

Use these steps:

1) STAND UP & look into the mirror & examine your head, scalp, face, neck, chest, torso, (women under the breasts), hands, nails, elbows, arms and underarms.

2) SIT DOWN & check your legs, feet, soles, heels & toenails.  Use a HAND MIRROR to check genitals.

3) STAND UP & use a HAND MIRROR to inspect the back of neck, shoulders, upper arms, back, buttocks & legs.

REDUCE YOUR RISK:  We cannot completely avoid sun exposure, but there are ways to reduce the risk from exposure.

COVER UP…Wear cool, clothing that covers your body.  Dark colors block more UV rays than light colors.

WEAR A HAT…Wear a wide brim hat when out in the sun. It should cover your ears, eyes, forehead, nose and scalp.  A baseball cap is better than nothing.

SUNGLASSES… invest in good glasses that block UV rays.  They should block 99 t0 100% of UVA & UVB rays.

SUNSCREEN…LOTS OF IT!  Get it, use it liberally and apply it often…at least every 2 hours when in the sun.

***Ask Nora about our sunscreen products.

If you have any questions or concerns, call me and we’ll address them right away.

Dr. Steven Davison

At DAVinci…I combine the supreme elements of art & surgical science.