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Is Your State A “High Sun Danger” State?

remind you how dangerous the sun can be

Is Your State A “High Sun Danger” State?

How would you answer, Is your state A “High Sun Danger” State?

Have you considered what you can do to keep your skin safe?

More Sun Or More Melanoma?

Are you measuring hours of sunshine in your state? Or are you concerned about cases of sun caused melanoma?

10 States of the most sun: Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah, and Florida.

11 Highest Melanoma rates per resident: New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, and California.

An important place to start with staying safe from the sun is to make yourself aware of the FDA’s recommendation of keeping your infants out of the sun. No sunscreen for your children under 1 year old. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/should-you-put-sunscreen-infants-not-usually This link will help you understand what the FDA recommends and why.

Regardless of the state you live in, or the season of the year, children under 1-year-old should be not out of the sun. A quick read of the article in the link above will explain more.

Sun Dangers For My Children

My kids didn’t have the advantage of this information. I, as the Mom, didn’t know how dangerous the sun can be for very young kids. I was still being influenced by the Coppertone Baby ads! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppertone_(sunscreen) We thought we wanted to be tan and allowed our sun time to be dangerous because we wanted to be tan.

Is that the reason for my families skin cancer problems today?

Yes, it probably is. I just didn’t know better. Your children will fare better with their skin and maybe avoid skin cancer if you teach them sun safety while they are young.

My son and one of my daughters are very fair-skinned. They have light blond and strawberry blonde hair with one having green eyes, and one blue. When they were infants the main time of careless exposure was in the car. They were not seated in car seats, but they often took naps by laying down in the seat as young kids. We were not careful of the sun shining on their faces, or arms or legs.

Just as we know more about kids and safety while travelling, we also know more about keeping them safe from the sun. Awareness helps make us all realize that there is more to staying healthy than we have been doing.

Texas And The Sun

Our state of Texas is a high sun danger state. We are not “sun safe” even though we have a low rate of melanoma per capita. In the state of Texas, we are very near the equator, making our sun exposure very quick to burn our skin, and able to turn dangerous quickly.

U.S. states that get the most hours of sunshine each year:

  1. Arizona 
  2. New Mexico 
  3. Nevada 
  4. Texas 
  5. California 
  6. Colorado 
  7. Oklahoma 
  8. Kansas 
  9. Utah 
  10. Florida –

Practising sun safe habits are especially important for you if you live in one of these states. The sun is shinning so many hours that it is difficult for you and your family to completely avoid the sun. The safety part is what you have to practice and teach your family.

Once you are aware of some of these findings, you will see that you do need to change a few habits. You live in a sunny part of the world, and teaching your family the basics of sun safety will help avoid sunburn now, and skin cancer in a few years.

Checking out the link https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/sunniest-states’ can even help you determine your states sun ranking. Now, we are going into another way of measuring the sun dangers according to population.

Sun Safety Habits To Practice

With skin cancer being the reason to protect your skin from the sun let’s consider a study by the Behavioral Science Group. In this study finding that Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer seemed to occur more often in Hawaii, was not a surprise.

While a good percentage of the citizens have ethnic backgrounds to have darker skin tones, lifestyle plays a large part in this finding. People in Hawaii are less sun safety conscious. This leads to higher melanoma rates in the population.

Fewer cases of this deadly skin cancer are present in Alaska. With the District of Columbia were the lowest numbers of melanoma.

Our coastal states of New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Flordia, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, and California have higher rates of Melanoma.

These states have the highest numbers of cases because of the ethnic background of the population. Remember, darker skin tones have fewer cases of melanoma than lighter skin toned people. There are so many variables that we all must be aware of our expoisure to the sun and its UV rays to protect ourselves.

Find Your State In The List

Some states that we consider “landlocked” also have higher rates of melanoma skin cancer. These states are Vermont, Utah, Minnesota, Idaho, Kentucky andColorado.

Is your state not on these lists? This means you have a good chance to be able to protect your and your family with some basic sun protection. These basics may be little more that to cover up your skin and apply sunscreen.

Sometimes lifestyles of more residents is also a factor according to behavioural science research. How people earn their living, as well as how more people relax and enjoy leisure time.

Does your state a large population? Or sparsely populated? You and your family will also react tp how much sun your state gets. All these different reasons for how much sun you must prepare to protect yourself from.

As residents of all the higher skin cancer rate states, you must assume more personal responsibility for protecting yourself from the sun.

Texas And Its Dangerous

While the numbers of skin cancer are growing, melanoma is not as big a threat to people with darker skin. Texas has a high population of Mexican and Black background residents. This helps our numbers when rating for melanoma. Texas has a high mix of ethnic populations.

The other forms of skin cancer are usually easier to cure than melanoma if treated early. And yes, melanoma is the most deadly partly because it has usually been in your body for a while when found. This form of skin cancer is easier to heal, when found early in development, just as the other kinds are.

I don’t have any darker-skinned ancestors. My origin, according to Ancester.com is Scandinavian. This would explain my fair skin that sunburns easily. As well as my fairer skinned family. (I do have one daughter who has more olive tone skin, dark brown eyes, and blonde hair that has darkened to a light brown as she got older. She has had her trials with skin cancer as well.)

Our risk for melanoma is very high, here in Texas with its hot dry sunshine filled days. Melanoma occurs more often in people over 50. So we will have to stay with the checkups with our dermatologists.

Don’t think that just because you have darker toned skin you are completely safe. All skin cancers appear after skin-damaging exposure to the sun. Sometimes many years after the initial exposure.

If you have ever been tender across your shoulders, on your face or neck after sun exposure, you have enough sun damage to cause skin cancer. Take care of your skin.

Awareness Of Your Lifestyle

Here in our state of Texas, our lifestyle is a definite factor of what happens with our skin. If your family spend lots of time out at kids sports events, or family gatherings at the lake or on a river., are you careful? Do you wear sun blocking shirts, sun hats and sunglasses? Apply sunscreen, often? What Is Sun Blocking Clothing?

Do you like theme parks or dirt bikes? Hunting, camping and hiking are just a few of the sports and activities to keep Texans busy. Our beaches have always had a great pull for our family. It really is a lot of fun to be in Texas and most is under those dangerous sunny skies.

We have to be aware of the time of day along with our other sun safety habits we can practice to help healthy. Being aware of how to protect ourselves gives us a head start for a healthier skin cancer free life.

How do your lifestyle habits support your safe times in the sun? What are you teaching your children? How will they know if you don’t teach them?

Differences in Rates of UV-Related Melanoma by State

The incidence rate of melanoma due to UV radiation is considerably high in all of our states.

Several factors can contribute to the risk of melanoma:

  • How you use sun protection- sun hats, sun blocking long sleeve shirts, sunglasses, and sunscreen with all forms of shade
  • What is the UV Index in the area, and your awareness of your ability to protect your skin from the sun?
  • If you choose to use indoor tanning facilities, you can expect more robust monitoring of your skin over your lifetime.

Michigan is an example of a state with high incidents of melanoma and low actual sun hours per year. This is because of the ancestry of the people who live there, and lifestyle habits. You can’t change your ancestry. Lifestyle habits are a sure bet to make your family safer from the sun.

Where You Are When Sun Exposed

The total amount of UV exposure you get depends on:

Is your state A High Sun Danger State? Have you considered what you can do to keep your skin safe?

An important place to start with staying safe from the sun is to make yourself aware of the FDA’s recommendation of keeping your infants out of the sun. No sunscreen for your children under 1 year old. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/should-you-put-sunscreen-infants-not-usually This like will help you understand what the FDA recommends and why.

Regardless of the state you live in, or the season of the year, children under 1-year-old should be not out of the sun. A quick read of the article in the link above will explain more.

Sun Dangers For My Children

My kids didn’t have the advantage of this information. I, as the Mom, didn’t know how dangerous the sun can be for very young kids. I was under the influence of the “Coppertone Baby” ads! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppertone_(sunscreen) We thought we wanted to be tan and allowed our sun time to be dangerous to be tan.

Is that the reason for their skin cancer problems today? Yes, it probably is. I just didn’t know better. Your children will fare better with their skin and maybe avoid skin cancer if you teach them sun safety while they are young.

My son and one of my daughters have very fair skin. When they were infants the main time of careless exposure was in the car. They were not in car seats, but they often took naps by laying down in the seat as young kids. We were not careful of the sun shining on their faces, or arms or legs.

Just as we know more about kids and safety while travelling, we also know more about keeping them safe. Awareness helps make us all realize that there is more to staying healthy than we have been doing.

Texas And The Sun

Our state of Texas is a sun state. We are not “sun safe” even though we have a low rate of melanoma per capita. In the state of Texas, we are very near the equator, making our sun exposure very quick to burn our skin, and able to turn dangerous quickly.

U.S. states that get the most hours of sunshine each year:

  1. Arizona 
  2. New Mexico 
  3. Nevada 
  4. Texas 
  5. California 
  6. Colorado 
  7. Oklahoma 
  8. Kansas 
  9. Utah 
  10. Florida –

Practising sun safe habits are especially important for you if you live in one of these states. The sun is shinning so many hours that it is difficult for you and your family to completely avoid the sun. The safety part is what you have to practice and teach your family.

Once you are aware of some of these findings, you will see that you do need to change a few habits. You live in a sunny part of the world, and teaching your family the basics of sun safety will help avoid sunburn now, and skin cancer in a few years.

Checking out the link https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/sunniest-states’ can even help you determine your states sun ranking. Now, we are going into another way of measuring the sun dangers according to population.

Sun Safety Needed

With skin cancer being one of the reasons to protect your skin from the sun let’s consider a study by the Behavioral Science Group. This study concerning Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer incidence was more often in Hawaii.

Fewer cases of this deadly skin cancer developed in Alaska and the District of Columbia with the lowest numbers of melanoma.

Our coastal states of New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Flordia, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, and California have high rates.

These states have the highest numbers of cases because of the ethnic background of the population. Remember, darker skin tones have fewer cases of melanoma than lighter skin toned people. There are so many variables that we all must be aware of when we receive our exposure to the sun and its UV rays to be able to protect ourselves.

The states of Vermont, Utah, Minnesota, Idaho, Kentucky andColorado may surprise you because they have higher rates of melanoma. As residents of all the higher skin cancer case states, you must assume more personal responsibility for protecting yourself from the sun.

Texas Is Also Dangerous

While the numbers of skin cancer are growing, melanoma is not as big a threat to people with darker skin. I don’t have any connection with darker-skinned ancestors. My origin, according to Ancester.com is Scandinavian. This would explain my fair skin that sunburns easily. As well as my fairer skinned family.

Our risk for melanoma is very high, here in Texas with its hot dry sunshine filled days. Melanoma is a cancer that occurs more often in people over 50. So we will have to stay with the checkups with our determinists.

Don’t think that just because you have darker toned skin you are completely safe. All skin cancers appear after skin-damaging exposure to the sun. Sometimes many years after the initial exposure.

If you have ever been tender across your shoulders, on your face or neck after sun exposure, you have enough sun damage to cause skin cancer. Take care of your skin.

Where Most Melanomas Are Occurring and Why

The incidence rate of melanoma due to UV radiation was considerably high in all states.

Several factors can contribute to the risk of melanoma, including how you use your sun protection. Then there is the UV Index in the area, and the use of indoor tanning facilities.

Where You Are When Exposed To The Sun?

The total amount of UV exposure you get depends on:

Strength of the sun’s rays when you get your exposure to it, according to the time of the day and where you were in the world.

Sun’s rays strength when your exposure took place, according to the time of the day and where you were in the world.

The length of the time your skin receives exposure, as well as the total sun exposure in your lifetime.

When you’re outside and the UV Index is high, you increase your chance of sunburn and skin damage that could ultimately lead to skin cancer.

https://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/uv-index-1

The risk of melanoma increases when people spend prolonged time outdoors and do not use enough sun protection. We are talking about a longer outing in the sun like going to the beach, the lake, swimming pool. Or boating, a favorite of mine.

In the wintertime, sports like skiing and boarding also expose you to longer periods of time. We just get caught up in the activity and hours pass.

Jobs that involve a lot of time outdoors, like farming or construction work, may also increase the risk of melanoma. You must be aware and make sure your skin has sun protection.

Improve Your Sun Protection Habits

You can’t change the UV Index where you are. However, you can change how long you stay outside and how you protect your skin. For starters, you can seek shade, avoid peak sunlight, wear protective clothing, and use sunscreen. These are the basis of all good sun protection habits, and can save you from skin cancer in the future.

This is another link to the UV index forecast.

Click this link  Environmental Protection Agency’s website.

Reminder
  • The southern states, California, and especially Hawaii, are closest to the equator and tend to have a higher UV Index.
  •  States at a high altitude, such as Utah and Colorado, also tend to have a relatively high UV Index.
  • High rates of melanoma in states that tend to have a low UV Index, such as Minnesota and Idaho, are likely related to prolonged exposure to sun rays and inadequate sun protection.  

Indoor Tanning

Teenage girls in the 1990s were under the spell of a year-round tan and used indoor tanning facilities more than teenage boys. Researchers surmised that is probably related to the increased incidence in younger females with melanoma at a younger age than males in this study. Indoor tanning was most common in the Midwest.

Even as fewer people were indoor tanning recently, 1 out of 4 white women 18 to 21 years old admitted they were still tanning inside in 2015. The proportion in women 22 to 29 was almost as high. 

 
Even knowing what we know about the dangers of tanning beds, only 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws that completely ban the use for people younger than 18.

Besides the 19 states with a ban for sun tanning beds for those under 18, some restrictions are in place in 27 more states. Do you do as my girls did back when and sneak off to the tanning salon? You will also probably have ongoing appointments with the dermatologist. So prepare yourself.

We do have to exercise some personal judgement and responsibility for our skin’s health. Make better decisions about sun exposure safety.

Tool Box For Safe Sun Time

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