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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States with more than 1 million new cases diagnosed every year. Exposure to the sun is responsible for almost 90 percent of all skin cancers. Do you know what the early warning signs of skin cancer are? It’s more important than ever to be familiar with your skin so that you will be aware of any changes in moles, discolorations or sores that do not heal.

			•	1 out of 7 people in the US will develop some form of skin cancer
			•	The sunburn you got 20 years ago can become skin cancer today
			•	It only takes one serious sunburn to increase your risk of skin cancer as much as 50%
			•	Skin cancer can occur anywhere on your body, but most common in places that are exposed to sunlight


Before we learned about the dangers of ultraviolet light, soaking up the sun's rays used to be considered healthy. While you may like the look of “healthy” tan, it’s actually your body's attempt to protect itself from damage. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, frequent visits to tanning salons increase your exposure to ultraviolet radiation as well as your risk for skin cancer.
No matter what the season, incorporating a good sunscreen into your daily regimen will reduce the signs of premature aging and rescue your skin from serious skin damage. Because ordinary sunscreens only offer a basic barrier against the sun, you may still experience inflammation, dryness, and even some skin damage. To keep your skin soft and healthy all year long, be sure to look for a sunscreen that has the following ingredients:
	• Broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection • Anti-inflammatories • Moisturizers • Antioxidants (such as Vitamins A, C and E)

If your skin has felt the ravages of the sun, taking immediate action will help your skin heal more quickly. Sunburn should be treated for the healing of current sunburn pain, skin damage and potential skin cancer as well as to prevent further sunburn.

		A wonderfully treatment, this soothing gel should be applied to the affected areas of the skin to soothe and rehydrate the dried and damaged surfaces.

		A general skin moisturizer can be applied to burned areas to cool and soothe painful or itchy areas.

		Vitamin E can be taken regularly as part of a daily supplement or spread as salve on sunburned areas. Vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant, will help prevent severe damage as well as shorten the effects of any damage that may have occured.

Topical sunscreens provide us with the ability to enjoy the outoors. However, in our hurry to get outdoors, we often forget to apply protection to delicate skin areas, which leads to damaging sunburns. Imagine being protected from the inside out—no more forgotten skin areas or messy lotions. It’s very possible that in the near future, we will be able to take a small capsule and protect every square inch of skin. An exciting new study has shown that when, potent antioxidants called polyphenols are taken internally, they can increase the SPF (sun protection factor) of topical sunscreens by up to 25%! Pomegranate extract has the highest levels of polyphenols found in any food substance and provides powerful antioxidant protection against the signs of premature aging. It is currently available in tablet form and has been proven to safely enhance your topical sun protection by up to 25%. As we look towards the future, the concept of an oral sunscreen may be the next step in optimal sun protection. Stay tuned to discover how your skin can stay young, healthy, and sun damage free!