Enjoy the Sun and Reduce Skin Damage

We carry our skin around every day, but oftentimes we neglect it and don’t think about it until irritation or injury occurs. Our skin is a fragile layer of tissue that surrounds us, and is actually the human body’s largest organ. Skin is made up of water, protein, fats, and minerals, and serves many vital functions like protecting us against germs and regulating body temperature. Like all parts of our body, skin changes with age. Over the course of our lifetimes, skin is susceptible to scratches, tears, cuts, burns, infections, and diseases.

While sunlight is vital and nourishing for our bodies, helping to lift our moods and boost our vitamin D levels, too much sun is a bad thing where our skin is concerned. The danger of exposure to too much UV light is well known, but even still most elderly adults fail to take the proper precautions in order to avoid excess sun, which can cause wrinkling, spotting, and even cancer.

Skin cancer doesn’t always get as much attention as other forms of cancer, but the fact is that it’s a common disease. More than five million people receive treatment for skin cancer each year, and the majority of cases are in people aged 65 or older. As lifespans trend upward, it is important to be more conscious of protecting skin from this preventable disease.

At greatest risk are people with fair skin, who burn or freckle easily. The good news is that skin cancer is curable if detected early, before it has a chance to spread to other parts of the body.