Did you know professional drivers report a higher rate of skin cancer than people in other professions? Or that 75% of melanoma (the most aggressive form of skin cancer) occurs on the left side of the body? Not coincidentally, the left side is subjected to the highest amount of UV rays when driving.
Here are three important facts from The New England Journal of Medicine that all drivers should know:
- Not all sides of your body are treated equally. While front windshields block an average of 96% of UV rays, side windows block as little as 44% of these rays. Since UVA light can penetrate through glass, and Americans drive on the right side of the road, our left sides are more at risk of developing skin cancer.
- When it comes to the SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen, double the number does not always mean double the protection. Many may naturally believe that the highest SPF offers the highest level of protection from the sun.
- You should apply sunscreen every day — even when the sun isn’t visible. Although it may be cloudy, clouds are not magical, supernatural-like forces blocking the sun’s rays. In fact, clouds filter less than 25% of the UV rays that penetrate your skin and cause skin cancer.
In case you’re wondering, I’m writing this column from personal experience. After years of driving, I have three spots on the left side of my face that I must monitor regularly. Please, I urge you to wear sunscreen protection.
Just as you take a look under your personal hood by visiting the doctor regularly and work to maintain your “engine” with a healthy diet and exercise, you should also be aware of your body’s largest organ, the skin.
Early biometric detection of skin cancer can protect your livelihood — and it could also save your life.
