Cherish our CHILDREN: The Basics

As a mother of three small children, all under the age of 5 years old, I often struggle with the best way to PROTECT my babies, while still allowing them FUN IN THE SUN! As a recovered SUN WORSHIPPER, I had never incorporated a sunSCREEN into my life, just Johnson's Baby Oil for a day at the beach.... Times have sure changed! Now, I use different Johnson & Johnson products: Neutrogena 70 Sunblock for me, and Aveeno Baby 50 SPF Sunscreen for my little ones.

There are important things to consider when exposing your Children to the harmful aspects of UVA and UVB rays. BabyCenter offers these suggestions for being SAFE IN THE SUN!:

• Keep babies/children out of direct sunlight from 10a-4p.
• Dress children in longsleeved shirts, hats, sunglasses, and use umbrellas/tents to shield the UV rays.
• Use a waterproof "broadspectrum" sunscreen for babies over 6 months, covering both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure not to forget the sensitive lips, nose, and ears!
• Apply SPF 30 or over at least 30 minutes BEFORE sun exposure.
• Reapply every 2 HOURS especially after playing in the water or sweating, even though your sunscreen is waterproof.
• Have fun knowing you are protecting and educating our most PRECIOUS assets, our children.
  
  A well respected and WISE Texas Dermatologist once told me, "EDUCATION of our children about Sun Safety and Skin Cancer can CHANGE THEIR FUTURE". Her brilliant idea was that EVERY CHILD learn to put on their OWN sunscreen after they brush their teeth each morning, as it is just as VITAL to their overall health and well being. We can shape their paradigms. I will work to do that. Will You?

Tanning Beds a TRICK...not a Treat!

Like many young Americans, I was led to believe through the media that a TAN gave you a HEALTHY GLOW. But with light hair and blue eyes, my fair skin burned and peeled. In college, I remember a close friend with darker skin wearing a t-shirt with pride, "He who dies with the BEST TAN wins!" I was certainly destined to FAIL at LOOKING tan, but ALMOST DIED 20 years later from Malignant Melanoma. But at the time, I found myself trying to GLOW by FAKE BAKING and was a regular at the Tanning Salon.

What a TRICK!
A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30. Experts also found that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused worrying mutations in mice, proof the radiation is carcinogenic. Previously, only one type of ultraviolet radiation was thought to be lethal. So , it's not too surprising that TANNING BEDS can be LETHAL!Here are some links to the NEWS:

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20090728/who-tanning-beds-cause-cancer
http://www.skincancer.org/iarc-tanning-link-study.html

SKIN CANCER: A SERIOUS ISSUE!

According to the most recent data found on the American Academy of Dermatology website (http://www.aad.org/) and attributed to the American Cancer Society's Facts for 2009:

*More than ONE MILLION cases of Skin Cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
*One in Five Americans will develop Skin Cancer in their lifetime.
*The incidence of Melanoma, the deadliest Skin Cancer, has been steadily increasing for the last 30 years.
*One American dies EVERY HOUR from Malignant Melanoma. In 2009, an estimated 8,650 Americans will die from Melanoma.
*Skin Cancer, if caught in the early stages, is one of the most curable cancers.
*The American Cancer Society recommends a skin cancer-related checkup and counseling about sun exposure as a part of any periodic health exam for men and women beginning at age 20.

Cherish Your Skin Website Launch!

We are excited to announce the Cherish Your Skin Organization website, http://www.cherishyourskin.org/ went LIVE today! The Mission of CYSO is to raise awareness about Skin Cancer and stress Skin Cancer Prevention. We will do so in three important ways: Educate through informational forums and web links, Donate to various Skin Cancer foundations through organizational fundraising efforts, and Support Skin Cancer patients through outreach programs. As a mother, wife, daughter and Skin Cancer Survivor of Malignant Melanoma, I am committed to leading the way in this important fight against Skin Cancer.