The Skin Cancer Foundation will be at the Corte Madera Town Center on Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., to offer free skin cancer screenings.
More than 128,000 Californians are expected to get skin cancer this year, but while this is one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer, it's also one of the most easily preventable.
Enjoy the sumer sunshine, but take some simple precautions before heading out the door.
• Slather on the sunscreen. We've all heard the message before, and most of us tend to ignore it. Well, listen up. The sun can damage your skin in as few as 15 minutes, so that gorgeous brown tan you're looking for can easily become cancer. Use an SPF of 15 or higher; apply it all over half an hour before going out and reapply every two hours.
• Watch the time. The sun's rays are strongest from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., so that's the danger zone. Try to stay in the shade, bring a hat or an umbrella, and remember the sunscreen when you go out.
• Avoid sunburns at all costs. Melanoma risk is doubled with five or more sunburns.
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