Exposure to the sun is associated with all forms of skin cancer, but the most common type of skin cancer is basal skin cancer. Frequent severe sunburns and intense sun exposure in childhood increase the risk of basal cell skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancers usually appear on sun-exposed areas, most commonly the face and neck, but also on the trunk and legs. The fact that it is showing up in teens and people in their 20s is of great concern to dermatologists. The incidence of basal cell skin cancer in North America is going up by 10% a year.Apply sun protection cream half an hour before your children or infant go outside and reapply it regularly, particularly after they’ve been swimming or got wet. Also, use a product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Products with SPFs of 60 offer greater protection but they don’t mean your child can safely spend four times longer in the sun. Sun screens reduce the damage done by the sun’s rays but they don’t block them out completely. You and your children should still cover up with clothes and seek shade during the hottest part of the day.When there is no shade around, dress your children in loose-fitting clothes and give them wide brimmed hats and good-quality sunglasses. The more skin that is covered with clothing, the better. Look for materials with a close weave, because they are best at blocking out harmful ultraviolet rays. Parents should be aware that when clothing gets wet it halves the protection given by the material.Helpful Hints to remember before going out into the sun:Limit the time in the sun between 10:00AM to 4:00PM.Apply sunscreen every hour and a half. SPF 30 or greater and make sure it is not expired.Remember these spots; neck, chin tops of feet and back of hands.Bring some type of petroleum jelly to protect their lips.Bring hats and sun glasses for the entire family. Keep them handy all year round.Some tips on how to avoid a struggle with your children applying sunscreen:Tell your child that sunscreen is a special makeup or paint made just for them.Try all types for sunscreens like foams, gels, and sprays.Let your child apply it themselves and then go over it yourself.Get a kid friendly brand that they identify with, like cartoon character, etc.It is essential that parents change their attitude about spending time in the sun, and where better to start than with their infants and children. Regularly check you and your child’s skin, and contact your doctor notice any irregular color changes in the skin. It’s important that children are taught this sort of information when they are young, because at that age they pick it up easily and it becomes second nature. Children need to get used to wearing sun protection, for it is as essential as eating and brushing their teeth. Remember that a sunburn can ruin your fun day in the sun, but its negative effects can last a life time.

Modern living is imbalanced and parents need to make extra efforts to protect the eyes of their children. Most children spend 3-5 hours a day staring at a computer screen, either surfing the internet or gaming. Children watch movies, play video games, watch hours of uninterrupted television and hardly ever go out doors or give their eyes a chance to focus on distant objects.
In fact doctors who treat children are finding an alarming increase in eye sight weakness and other ophthalmic problems like red eyes, irritations, and so on. There is a new problem, computer vision syndrome and 25-30% of children need corrective eye wear before they are even six years old.
Protect the eye sight of your kids; consider some of the following tips:
1.Always place things like televisions and computers at appropriate distances. Surf the World Wide Web for recommendations by experts.
2.Ensure that the child has a comprehensive eye exam every year the exam should include near-point and distance testing.
3.Teach the child the importance of splashing clean water on the eyes. This will removes any dust or bacteria.
4.Use soaps that are not harmful to the eyes.
5.Never allow children to use sunglasses or magnifying glasses that are not of good quality. Any eye wear or use must be optically safe.
6.If the child is going to be traveling or out in the sun for long hours, it is best he or she wears a cap that shields the eyes or wears sunglasses. The sunglasses must be bought from reliable manufacturers. Check the internet for high quality sunglasses at low prices. Before you buy a pair for a child check with the doctor whether the glasses should be prescription or non prescription.
7.Ensure that the child does not spend the whole day viewing close objects . Take the child for a drive, to the park, or beach. Teach the child the joys of watching birds fly, clouds float in the sky and so on. It will naturally exercise the childs eyes.
8.Restrict television viewing and computer time to a minimal. Encourage the child to enjoy outdoor activities. Hand held computer games to strain the eye.
It is our duty to bring up kids in the healthiest way possible. Include in the childs diet vegetables, fruits, and fish; things that protect the eyes and prevent wear and tear. Read up on foods that are beneficial to ophthalmic health and are rich in vitamins A and C and beta carotenes. When buying children eye wear ensure that you buy only top quality glasses.
Arthur Raise is a writer for http://www.1866sunglasses.com , the premier website to find Sunglasses, designer sunglasses, sun glasses, reading sunglasses, discount sunglasses, sunglasses at night, mens sunglasses, cheap sunglasses, fishing sunglasses and many more.

The relationship between sunlight and skin cancer is well known. Which is why any smart person would apply a sunblock before sun exposure. That way, you need not pay a hefty price for your love for the sunny outdoors. While sunblock protects your skin, sunglasses protect the eyes. Sunglasses are often worn for the cool factor. Movie stars might wear them to avoid being recognized in public. To the point that wearing an expensive pair of designer sunglasses gives people the impression that you might be someone famous hiding from overeager photographers or reporters. Then again, sunglasses should be one by every one who goes out in the sun to protect the eyes from cataracts and the eventual blindness that comes from these changes in your eye lens. Notice how some of the elderly have eyes that are clouded out. The clear lens of the eyes have become opaque due to the change in structure of the protein found in those natural lenses. These changes happen as a reaction to the UVB rays of the sun over time. With cataracts, the originally clear lens of the eye becomes opaque with time. Instead of clear vision, your vision gets blurry and if left untreated, you can go blind. No one is immune to cataracts. There is no such thing as a safe level of UVB exposure for the eyes. Even small doses of UV rays give you the risk of developing cataracts and cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Granted. Cataracts are also related to diabetes and to radiation exposure, but exposure to the sun’s UVB rays can cause cataracts. Your best bet to avoid going needlessly blind in your senior years is to wear sunglasses all the time. Not merely decorative sunglasses but sunglasses with real UV protection. Invest in quality sunglasses that have UV filters. oakley sunglasses with the HDO lenses filter off 100% of the damaging rays from the sun. You can get them from www.suntanstore.com

Vitamin Supplements for Cataract Prevention, Proceed With Caution

In an effort to stay healthy, and prevent disease many of us have been taking vitamins. When examining the physiology of our eyes, it makes sense in certain instances to supplement our diets, and improve the metabolism of tissues. There are several problems that arise with that point of view. The first; is that many of these supplements have not been proven to be useful. The second; is that there can be drug interaction between the vitamins and other medications. Therefore care must be taken, and always inform your doctor of anything that you take. Many studies have suggested that taking Vitamin E will prevent cataract formation. As such, many seniors have rushed out and started taking this fat soluble supplement. However, a recent 10 years study published in the May issue of Ophthalmology concluded that there is NO benefit in taking the vitamin E with regard to preventing cataracts. The study followed over 37,000 women and found no difference between those taking the vitamin and those that did not. Cataracts form when the internal lens of the eye becomes yellow as a result of Ultraviolet light absorption. This high energy light transforms a type of protein in the lens making it less transparent. Previous studies have found that taking Vitamin C will block this transfer of protein types, and can reduce the severity of the cataract. One must always balance the intake of any supplement with toxicity. Too much Vitamin C can cause kidney stones in those that are predisposed. We always recommend that patients wear quality sunglasses which will protect the eyes from the UV light, avoid cigarette smoke which increases the protein transfer, and eat a well balanced diet. In doing so, individuals will get all the nutrients that one needs. Taking supplements is a good idea if there are certian medical conditions or needs, but to most Americans a good diet is all that is needed.