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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile sunlight isn't proved to cause Merkel cell carcinoma, it's a risk factor for this cancer, other skin cancers and premature aging. Here are a few ideas for maintaining healthy skin:
- Be 'sun smart.' Avoid sun exposure as much as possible from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — the most intense sunlight hours of the day. If you're outdoors, seek shade under an umbrella or tree.
- Shield your skin and eyes. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, tightly woven clothing and sunglasses with ultraviolet light (UV) protection. You'll look stylish and help prevent sun damage to your skin.
- Apply sunscreen liberally and often. Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater when you head outdoors. Remember to reapply sunscreen after swimming or if you've been sweating.
- Watch for changes. If you notice a mole, freckle or bump that's changing in size, shape or color, talk to your doctor. Most skin lesions never become cancer, but catching cancer in its early stages increases the chances that treatment will be successful.
