June Newsletter

Vol. 6| June 2024

Summer is here, the best time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Whatever your adventure, remember to bring your sunscreen to protect yourself from UV rays, prevent skin aging caused by the sun and safeguard against potentially deadly skin cancers.

With so many sunscreen options available, what’s the best one for you? The answer is simple: The one you will use every day, all year long. It may take some trial and error to find one, so here are some high-level recommendations:  If you are outdoors for an extended period, especially when the sun is strong, you’ll need an SPF of 30 or more. Your sunscreen should also be broad spectrum, to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. To help you find a safe, effective product that’s right for you, here’s some helpful information, along with answers to common questions about sunscreen.

Practice a complete approach: Sunscreen is a key part of your sun protection strategy. But sunscreen alone isn’t enough. Here are more tools for a complete approach to skin cancer prevention.

5 Secrets of Sunscreen Users in the U.S.

Americans are notoriously not great at protecting their skin from the sun. One recent national survey found that 11 percent reported not wearing sunscreen at all, and only 13.5 percent said they use sunscreen daily. Even skin cancer survivors are not very compliant (more than a third of them say they infrequently use sunscreen, according to a 2024 review of a large 2015 survey).

How to Choose the Best Sunscreen for Your Skin 

No matter if you have oily, dry, acne-prone or sensitive skin, the right sunscreen can protect you from harmful UV rays while combating any skin woes.

How to Read a Sunscreen Label

Reading a sunscreen label shouldn’t be like deciphering a foreign language. But many people don’t understand how to read a sunscreen label or how the product protects the skin. Now is a good time to brush up on sunscreen terminology like SPF and broad spectrum.

10 Ways to Boost Your Sunscreen 

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you may not realize how much UV exposure you’re getting while pursuing your passion. Maximize your sun safety with our experts’ best tips.

We Don’t Want to Scare You, But …

… because too many people still think skin cancer is “no big deal,” maybe we want to scare you a bit. Despite recent advances in detection and treatment, skin cancer is a serious disease that can have devastating consequences. Read our six important lessons and, yes, be a little afraid. It might make all the difference.

Our Destination Healthy Skin (DHS) mobile skin cancer screening and education program has been on the road since April and thanks to our volunteer dermatologists, so far this year, we’ve provided more than 910 screenings and identified 375 potential skin cancers and precancers, including 15 suspected melanomas.

This year, we expect to provide more than 1,500 free skin cancer screenings, along with early detection education and sun protection giveaways for thousands more people in communities around the country.

Check the schedule

Big news: We’ve launched the Save Destination Healthy Skin campaign, which aims to raise funds for the purchase of a new RV to keep DHS on the road and saving lives.

This vital public health program cannot continue with a 14-year-old RV. Replacing the RV for our 2025 season will keep our free skin cancer screenings going strong for years to come.

You can help, with a donation of any amount.

The best part is that from now until August 17 every dollar donated to Save Destination Healthy Skin– up to $25,000 – will be matched by our lead sponsor, Massage Envy. This gives your donation double the impact.

Double your impact
$25 = $50
$50 = $100
$100 = $200

 Every gift makes a difference in the fight against skin cancer.
During this donation match challenge, your gift makes twice the difference.

During Skin Cancer Awareness Month, you all came together in a BIG way to #SharetheFacts and tell people that #SkinCancerIsSerious. Together, we reached more than a million people, with skin cancer information, education and stories.

We are so grateful to you for supporting our programs and amplifying our message. Thank you!

June is Cancer Survivor’s Month, a time for us to celebrate all of the amazing warriors living beyond skin cancer and giving hope to the newly diagnosed. Skin cancer warriors: Your strength and determination are an inspiration to our entire community.

Throughout June, we’ll be publishing #SkinCancerIsSerious videos shared by people who have battled skin cancer and prevailed. Do you have a story to share? We’d love to hear from you!

We are pleased to collaborate with Health Central to spread awareness about skin cancer risks in people of color and the issues and inequities that hinder prevention, protection and early detection in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities.

Just How Sun-Protected Is Your BIPOC Skin?
What Melanoma Looks Like on Skin of Color
How Derm Deserts Are Harming Our Skin
What is Your Skin Cancer Risk?

This partnership, alongside our new Love Your Skin campaign (see below), will provide the public with expert information about skin cancer prevention and skin health.

#LoveYourSkin is a public awareness campaign focused on education, early detection and sun protection for skin of color. Skin cancer is often diagnosed later in people of color, when it is more challenging to treat.⁠ Together, we can change that.

• Share facts and graphics to help spread the word.
• Read and share our blog posts about skin cancer in people of color.
• Use the hashtag #LoveYourSkinProtectYourSkin.

Join our community of monthly donors and become a member of the Skin Protection Fund (SPF). Your recurring gift will steadily support the lifesaving programs of the Foundation and help us educate the public and the medical community about skin cancer, its prevention by means of sun protection, the need for early detection and prompt, effective treatment. Learn more and donate here.

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