KOMU 8 Cares about your health, and that's why we're bringing you SunSense. Watch KOMU 8 News Today and KOMU 8 News at Ten for your daily SunSense UV ratings and plan your time in the sun accordingly.
Protect yourself against overexposure by avoiding direct sunlight between ten and four. Wear protective hats and clothing. Apply a 15 or higher SPF sunscreen at least thirty minutes before going outside.
Have a fun and safe summer: use SunSense!
Key to UV Ratings
| Scale | Risk | Safe Exposure |
| 0-2 | Minimal | 60 minutes |
| 3-4 | Low | 45 minutes |
| 5-6 | Moderate | 30 minutes |
| 7-9 | High | 15 minutes |
| 10+ | Very High | 10 minutes |
KOMU 8 SunSense Tips
- Use a broad spectrum sun screen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 or higher.
- Apply sun screen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.
- Wear protective, tightly woven clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and polarized sunglasses.
- Do not expose your face and hands to the sun for more than five minutes two to three times a week. Any more than that can age the skin or cause skin cancer.
- Limit your sun exposure between the mid-morning and mid-afternoon hours.
- Do most of your outdoor activities in the morning.
- Use a true sun block when you'll be outside for significant periods of time.
- Keep children under 6 months old out of the sun for extended periods of time. Cover with protective clothing.
- Watch freckles and moles for any changes such as itching, increase in size, or bleeding.
- Schedule monthly self skin exams and visit a dermatologist once a year.
- Anyone who has more than 100 moles is at a greater risk for melanoma.
- Visit your dermatologist if you suspect you have melanoma. Visit www.columbiaderm.com for more information.
- There are three forms of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. The cure rate increases the earlier it is detected.
Watch KOMU 8 News or go to KOMU.com for your daily UV rating.
The higher the UV rating, the higher the risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
