July is UV Awareness Month
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Summertime is here and along with the sunny skies come risks. Overexposure to the sun may cause aging of the skin, wrinkles, and skin cancer. July is UV Awareness Month and Board Certified plastic surgeon Steven C. Schmidt, MD, has some sun safety tips for you and your family.
Ultraviolet rays
It’s a common misconception that tanning beds are safer than the sun because they only use Ultraviolet A rays. “Unfortunately, that’s not true. Ultraviolet A is a strong contributor to skin cancer. Not only that, the rays of Ultraviolet A penetrate deeper into our skin than Ultraviolet B and is a primary cause of aging of our skin,” Dr. Schmidt said.
Dr. Schmidt tells us more about the three types of ultraviolet rays in the video below.
Avoiding ultraviolet light, whether it’s from the sun or tanning beds, will help prevent photo-aging of your skin, as well as the production of skin cancer.
How to protect yourself from the sun
- Wear protective clothing and hats
- Do not stay in direct sunlight
- Wash your clothing in SPF detergent
- Liberally apply sunscreen and reapply every two hours
- Choose makeup with SPF
In the video below, Dr. Schmidt discusses more detailed steps to prevent aging of the skin and skin cancer.
Related Providers:
Steven C. Schmidt, MD, is a Board Certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Schmidt earned his medical education at Washington University in St. Louis and completed a residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in General and Plastic Surgery where he also completed a fellowship in Hand Surgery. Dr. Schmidt offers complete plastic, cosmetic, and hand surgery services in Northeast Wisconsin.
