When Will Skin Health Get Its Day?

Raised in the 80’s and 90’s, I don’t recall hearing all that much about the importance of staying healthy. Cigarettes were smoked in virtually every public building, National Wear Red for heart disease awareness didn’t exist, and some doctors actually encouraged people to use tanning beds. Looking back, there were a lot of factors working against us, weren’t there?

Luckily, things have changed and we seem, as a whole, to be much more health-conscious these days. However, we could do better when it comes to our skin.

Giving our skin equal time

I will cut to the chase. We need to talk about the health of our skin the way we talk about staying fit.

I would love to peruse social media or turn on the television to see sunscreen ads as prevalent as images and ads for races and awareness walks. How great would it be to see posts encouraging everyone to see a dermatologist regularly?

Wouldn’t it be a huge step forward to come across a commercial giving viewers the ABCDEs of melanoma?

Skin exams are not difficult, but can we see a 30-second spot on how to perform a self-check?

Promotion is key

I would love to see skin health promoted as regularly as heart health. Don’t get me wrong; heart health is major. As an 80s baby, I am beyond pleased we are finally focusing on this silent killer.

Our skin, though, continues to take a hit. Imagine the difference that would result from playing up the fact that skincare products contain SPF? Those three letters mean everything when it comes to protecting our skin on a daily basis.

Seeing UV protection promoted in the media could begin to turn things around in a huge way.

It took far too many years for tobacco to be discouraged. Vaping, it seems, took far less. Thank goodness for that. Just yesterday, I saw three different commercials quite explicitly showing the dangers of vaping.

Let’s add tanning to the lineup. Think of how many people could be reached with a commercial showing the link between skin cancer and tanning salons. The opportunity is there, and it is time to take it.

Let’s hear it for the skin

We hear it all the time; our skin is our largest organ. Why is it then that we don’t promote skin health regularly?

Instead of an infinite number of ads with tanned bodies in the midday sun, it would be wise to advertise the effectiveness of UPF clothing.

Advocating is making a difference, but it’s past time for skin health to take front seat in the awareness arena. Here’s hoping the coming years bring about big changes when it comes to skin health awareness.

Protection, whether it’s in the form of sunscreen, UPF items, or regular checkups with a dermatologist should be promoted on a regular basis and by outlets beyond advocates like us. After all, it takes a village, doesn’t it?