6/17/12 - Summer Sun - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

If I've seen one, I've seen a hundred pictures on facebook this week of friends living life to the fullest on a beach, at the lake, on a river - all in the sun. With families heading to the great outdoors en masse, it's worthwhile to mention that everyone should take necessary precautions when out in the sun. A sunburn or deep dark tan should not be a goal to strive for in the coming weeks because in the coming years it might very well result in skin cancer.

Here are some facts you should consider:

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than cases of breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer combined.
• Over the past 31 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
• One person dies of melanoma every hour.

So what can you do? The best defense is to buy a high-quality sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher. Make sure it offers broad-spectrum protection. Look for The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation which guarantees a sunscreen product meets the highest standards for safety and effectiveness. And if it's the same sunscreen left over from last year, pitch it, and go buy yourself a new bottle. If you are a parent, make sure you are making good decisions for your children now. That sunburn today may come back to haunt them when they have kids of their own.