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Erie County Health Commissioner Talks About Preventing Skin Cancer

Posted at 1:11 PM, Jun 04, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-04 13:11:20-04

With summer weather upon protecting your skin is a must. 

Dr. Gale Burstein is here to address the importance of covering up to prevent skin cancer.

Some interesting facts from Dr. Burstein include:

Any tan indicates skin damage has occurred and sun tans are not healthy.

Sun damage is cumulative. 

Only 23% of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18

Estimated 90% of skin aging caused by the sun 

Anyone can get skin cancer

1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime

In past 30 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined

Daily sunscreen can reduce risk of skin cancer and minimize premature skin aging

Sunscreens should be worn routinely and the best sunscreen is the one you will use

More people develop skin cancer because of tanning than develop lung cancer because of smoking

Use of tanning bed before age 35 increases risk for melanoma by 75

www2.erie.gov/health