It is more important than ever to protect your head and neck from skin cancer. New research reveals that the sun’s UV rays can harm skin on bright, sunny days as well as cloudy days. Your head and your neck are the most vulnerable areas on your body – and must be protected with sunscreen and protective clothing.
Skin Cancer
More than one million people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the two most prevalent forms of skin cancer. Both of these skin cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers.
Non-melanoma skin cancers often develop as the result of a buildup of sun exposure over the years. For this reason, people over 55 are more likely to have basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.1 To avoid problems later in life it is important for everyone, including young children, to cover up and protect their skin from UV rays.
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. On average, every 3 out of 4 skin cancer deaths are due to melanoma. Your risk of developing melanoma is around one percent. Other factors, beside UV exposure, can make this go up. Genetics and lifestyle can increase your risk of melanoma.2
How Sunlight Relates to Skin Cancer
Protecting the head and neck from skin cancer requires and understanding of how the sun causes skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation, (UV rays), are the number one cause of skin cancer. UV rays can cause immediate problems such as sunburns and blistering. Repeated exposure will lead to more serious problems.3
Sunlight provides our bodies with vitamin D. This is necessary for great health. However, you should never risk getting a good dose of vitamin D while burning your skin. Keep in mind that the words ‘healthy tan’ do not go together. On the contrary, your skin will only begin the tanning process when the DNA in your skin begins to break down.
Preventing Skin Cancer with Protective Clothing
There are several ways to prevent skin cancer. The best way is to become diligent and always wear protection when you are outdoors and exposed to UV rays. 
Protective clothing is one way to prevent skin cancer. Hats, long sleeve shirts, and pants will cover exposed body parts. Hats will cover the scalp and other exposed parts of your head. These are prime places for getting sunburns. Skin cancer can also develop on these areas.
When choosing a hat to protect your head and neck from skin cancer look a hat with a tight weave and a wide brim. Canvas fabrics are a good choice. Avoid straw materials that let the sun through. One style of hat offers a long flap on the back that covers the neck. This type of hat is extremely helpful for some people in certain environments.4
Protective clothing will help you protect your neck area. Clothing is now available with built in sun protection. UPF ratings let you know how well the clothing will protect you from the sun’s rays. Look for scarves that you can wrap around your neck for protection and shirts with high collars.
Sunglasses should be worn at all times to protect against UV rays. The proper sunglasses will protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays. They will block one hundred percent of the rays. The lens should be large to protect the entire eye. If you choose wraparound sunglasses you will add protection for your eyes and for your face.5
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is another weapon you must use to protect your head and neck against skin cancer. Even a short fifteen minutes in the sun is enough time to cause damage to your skin. You should apply sunscreen every time you leave your home. The very best sunscreen has an SPF of 30 or higher and cover a broad spectrum UVA/UVB.6
SPF is the sun protection factor assigned to the product. It lets you know how effective the sunscreen will be in protecting you from the sun. In other words, SPF is an indication of how a sunscreen will block the rays from the sun.
Sunscreen can be applied to all exposed parts of your body. This includes the head and neck. You should always put sunscreen on your scalp or cover it with protective clothing or a hat. It is very sensitive to the sun’s rays. Companies make special sunscreens that do now weigh down the hair while giving you excellent protection. The scalp is receiving a lot of focus because it is difficult to diagnose skin cancer on the scalp. It is one of the last places it is diagnosed on a person’s body. Therefore, it is important to take extra measures of protection and safety.
Protecting the head and neck from skin cancer is very important. These two areas are hot spots for skin cancers to develop. They receive lots of exposure to the sun. Sadly, many people do not begin to use sunscreen and other measures of protection until it is too late. Now that you know the truth about skin cancer and the danger of the sun’s rays you can protect your skin and the skin of your loved ones. A few minutes a day can save your life.
References
1 Get Sun Savvy and Prevent Sunburn. (2011). Children’s Hospital St. Louis. Retrieved from: www.stlouischildrens.org/content/healthinfo/GetSunSavvyandPreventSunburn.htm
2 Skin Cancer. (2011). American Academy of Dermatology. Retrieved from: www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/conditions/skin-cancer
3 Ibid
4 Ibid
5 Prevent Eye Damage – Protect Yourself from UV Radiation . United States Environmental Protection Agency.(2010 August). Retrieved from: www.epa.gov/sunwise/doc/eyedamage.pdf
6 Sunscreens. (2011). American Academy of Dermatology. Retrieved from: www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/prevention-and-care/sunscreens
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