As the dog days of summer are upon us, kids everywhere are trying to soak up as much sun and fun as they can before summer vacation ends.   But the sun�s rays now are much more damaging than during the colder months, so proper skin protection is important.   Just one bad blistering sunburn in childhood can double the risk for developing skin cancer later.  And while regular use of sunscreen containing an SPF of 15 or higher during the first 18 years of life can lower the risk of certain types of skin cancer by up to 78 percent, only one in three kids age 12 to 18 say they routinely use sunscreen.  Dr. David Leffell for the Sun Safety Alliance:

�The majority of an individual�s lifetime sun exposure occurs in their first 18 years, and the Sun Safety Alliance, an organization that has recently been created to educate the public about the harmful effects of the sun, really wants to focus on protecting children against those damaging ultraviolet rays.�

The Sun Safety Alliance is helping to educate kids about how to enjoy outdoor activity safely.  For more information, you can log onto www.sunsafetyalliance.org.

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