SAN ANTONIO – These hot summer months in San Antonio mean many different things to many people, but for flag football player Julio Sanchez, they mean the start of the season.
“We usually start playing outside at 9 a.m. and stop around 1 p.m., so it feels like the hottest time of day when the sun is beating down on us,” he said. Sanchez says he wouldn’t go on the field without applying sunscreen first.
Dr. Alexander Miller is a surgical oncologist at the START Center for Cancer Care and says he has observed a disturbing trend when it comes to protecting the skin.
“We’re seeing more skin cancer in people in their 20s and 30s than ever before,” he said. “Years ago, decades ago, I don’t think it was as big a problem as it is today.”
Dr. Miller attributes this to changing attitudes toward sunscreen and a thinning ozone layer that is letting in more and more ultraviolet radiation (UV rays).
“If you’re going to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes, you should protect your skin. That means wearing hats, sunglasses and protective clothing,” says Miller.
Miller recommends applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50. If the SPF is lower, reapply every few hours.
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