OUTRUN THE SUN Official Sun Safety Partner

SUN SAFETY INFORMATION

Whether you are running and walking in a cold or warm climate this winter, remember that the sun’s ultraviolet rays affect you. Take precautions! Research shows that over exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays contributes to skin cancer, including melanoma. Outrun the Sun, the “Official Sun Safety Partner” of USA Track & Field wants to help you stay safe all year long. Consider this:

• Skin cancer is the number one cancer in America with more than 2 million cases diagnosed annually.
• There are three types of skin cancer: Basel cell carcinoma, Squamous cell, and Melanoma.
• Melanoma is the most common cancer in people ages 25 to 29.
• Melanoma is the second most common cancer in people ages 15-29.
• Melanoma most often affects men age 50 and older.
• From 1950 to 2001, melanoma’s incidence rate rose 690 percent.
• One American dies of melanoma every hour.
• It is estimated that nearly 120,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with melanoma this year.
• Melanoma affects people of all ages and ethnicities.
• Skin cancer is highly preventable.
• Roughly $2 billion is spent in the U.S. annually to treat all forms of skin cancer.
• The World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared UV radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds, as known carcinogens, in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos.

PREVENTION TIPS:

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply often (at least every two hours.)
• Wear sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
• If you are allergic to sunscreen or prefer not to use it, wear protective gear:  Light-weight clothing with a built-in SPF factor is available from a variety of manufacturers.
• Wear clothing that will protect your skin: long sleeves, hats, long pants. Note: darker color, tightly woven fabrics protect better than lighter, loosely woven fabrics.
• (A white cotton T-shirt has an approximate SPF value of only 5!)
• Wear an SPF hat to cover your scalp. Your hair doesn’t protect your scalp from UV rays!
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection to help prevent ocular melanoma.
• Stay out of direct sun between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to going outdoors so that it can absorb into your skin.
• Check the expiration date of your sunscreen to make sure active ingredients are still active!
• Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin: arms, legs, face, neck, ears and hands.
• Find a location that provides shade for your next run or walk.
• Avoid tanning beds and their harmful ultraviolet rays.

Outrun the Sun, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building national awareness of melanoma and other skin cancers, educating communities about preventive measures that reduce melanoma’s incidence rate, and raising funds for melanoma research, leading to effective treatments and a cure. Learn more at www.outrunthesun.org.