UR Medicine offers free skin cancer screening on May 12

STAFF REPORTS

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — UR Medicine’s Department of Dermatology is joining forces with the American Academy of Dermatology and the Rochester Dermatologic Society to provide free skin cancer screenings 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 12, at Strong Memorial Hospital in the Dermatology Suite on the second floor of the Ambulatory Care Facility. Screening is offered on a first-come, first-served basis and no appointment is needed. 

• Wear sunscreen. Your skin can be damaged by the sun in as little as 15 minutes. Apply sunscreen, with SPF 30 or greater and both UVA and UVB protection, 15 to 20 minutes before you go outside. Don’t forget areas such as the back of your neck, top of your ears arms and legs, and scalp if you’ve lost some hair. Reapply sunscreen every two hours, and after swimming or actively sweating.
• Wear a hat and loose-fitting clothing. A hat with a four-inch brim will shade more than 95 percent of your face, head, ears and neck. Wear light-weight clothes that cover your arms and legs.
• Avoid the most intense sunlight. Schedule activities in the early morning or late afternoon to keep out of the most intense sunlight, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Don’t tan indoors. Indoor tanning has also been linked to skin cancers. Tanning beds or booths are not safe and do not protect your skin from sun damage.