WHO’S MOST CONCERNED ABOUT SUN SAFETY?

According to the CDC, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in America, yet a new study found that just 34% of Americans worry about getting it. Advanced Dermatology recently surveyed over 2,000 Americans and also analyzed Google search trends data to learn which states are the most and least concerned about skin cancer. Here’s what they found:

  • 40% of Americans say they rarely or never wear sunscreen and more than 70% only wear it in the summer.
  • Even more alarming, 77% said they only reserve sunscreen for certain activities on summer days.
  • 34% of Americans have had a sunburn in the last year, however, 53% have never been checked for skin cancer by a professional.
  • Almost half of the country (24 states) aren’t concerned enough about skin cancer, including Vermont, Idaho, Delaware, and Montana, all of whom have high rates of skin cancer but average or low search volume for questions regarding skin cancer.

As summer approaches and states begin to ease COVID-19 social distancing orders, it’s more tempting than ever to get outside – and too easy to forget about protecting your skin from the sun. But foregoing sunscreen just once can cause sun damage such as brown spots, wrinkles, and sunburns that often lead to cosmetic procedures. More importantly, sun damage can result in serious medical concerns like skin cancer.

Do people take these concerns seriously? We surveyed 2,015 Americans to find out. A shocking 40 percent say they rarely or never wear sunscreen, and that more than 70 percent only wear it in the summer. Even then, a majority of respondents (77%) say reserve sunscreen for certain activities on sunny days.

Less than one in four (23%) say they wear sunscreen most or all of the time. That’s a concerning statistic, given that 76 percent of respondents don’t know the ABCDE rule of skin cancer and more than half have never been checked by a professional for signs of it.

To read the entire article, click here.

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