DAYTON — More than 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
When it comes to preventing it, sunscreen is key, but there are so many out there that buying the right one can be tough.
News Center 7’s Consumer Investigator Reporter Xavier Hershovitz found out how you use sunscreen is just as important.
Shirley James, of Dayton, said, “Just kind of concentrate on nature instead of whatever’s going on in the world.”
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Walking nature trails is like therapy for James after her double knee replacement, and walking outside every day.
“You have to wear sunscreen,” she said.
She knows just how important protecting her skin is, but picking the right sunscreen is equally important.
“It’s zinc free, or it’s this free, or it’s all natural. It’s like a whole research project, just getting sunscreen,” James said.
From lotions to sprays, even sticks, there are a lot of options out there. And each one comes with pros and cons.
Trisha Calvo, Consumer Reports Deputy Health and Food Editor, said, “They’re a little bit hard to use correctly.”
For decades, they’ve tested hundreds of sunscreens. When it comes to sprays, Calvo said they offer great protection if people use them correctly.
“You want to hold it about an inch from your skin, and spray it until your skin glistens, and then make sure that you rub it in,” Calvo said.
When it comes to kids, Consumer Reports recommends using lotion sunscreens.
“You really want to get the lotion in, and that way you can see how much is applying, and you know that’s rubbed in,” Calvo said.
Turns out most of us aren’t using enough sunscreen.
“If you use half the sunscreen, you’re automatically cutting your SPF protection in half,” she said. “To keep the party going, you’ll want about an ounce of sunscreen to cover your body in a swimsuit.”
The next step many people forget is you must reapply the sunscreen.
“Sunscreen degrades over time. It can rub off. It can wear off. So, you want to make sure you reapply fully to all exposed skin on the sunscreen every two hours, or immediately when you get out of the water,” Calvo said.
Not reapplying the sunscreen can lead to serious sunburn. Something that Dr. Nancy Pook sees in her Kettering Health emergency room.
“We see people in the emergency room all the time with sunburn, and the more skin that is exposed is quite a painful and life-changing experience. You can’t go outside or be around any heat. There are consequences to sunburn,” Pook said.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, having just five or more sunburns doubles your risk for serious skin cancer.
That’s why Dr. Pook said it’s important to regularly check your skin. And, if you see something abnormal, make an appointment with a dermatologist.
“We want someone who looks at thousands of these to look at it because they know when it’s time to watch, when it’s time to biopsy. They know which ones to be concerned about,” Dr. Pook said.
Both experts agree, the best sunscreen is broad-spectrum with at least 30 SPF, and one you will use and reapply.
“It isn’t just a one-and-done situation when it comes to protecting your skin,” Dr. Pook said,
And for Shirley James, “Thank goodness Google’s a thing now. You can look up some reviews if this worked or didn’t work, or how long it lasted.”
Turning to the experts and their reviews helps her stay on her daily therapy walks.
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