Skin Problems & Treatments Health Center

Most noncancerous skin bumps, spots, and growths can't be prevented. But there are steps you can take to help prevent some skin problems:

• Prevent irritation.
  • Wear soft, cotton clothing or moleskin under sports equipment (if possible). Parts of equipment, such as chin straps, can rub your skin spots and irritate them.
  • Avoid wearing clothing that is too tight.
  • Adjust your clothing so that belts, straps, or elastic from your bra or underwear don't rub against spots.
• Decrease the chance of skin infection.
  • Wash with lukewarm water and a mild soap or cleanser. Do not use deodorant soaps or soaps and skin cleansers that contain irritating substances.
  • Rinse your skin thoroughly after you wash it.
  • Gently pat your skin dry.
  • Avoid squeezing any lumps that form under the skin.
  • Wash soon after participating in activities that cause you to sweat.
  • Avoid skin care products that contain oil, which may clog your pores. Instead, use water-based skin care products. Read the labels on products and look for the terms oil-free, hypoallergenic, and noncomedogenic.

Prevent skin cancer

Most skin cancer can be prevented. Use the following tips to protect your skin from the sun. You may decrease your chances of developing skin cancer and help prevent wrinkles.

Avoid sun exposure

The best way to prevent a sunburn is to avoid sun exposure.

Stay out of the midday sun (from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon), which is the strongest sunlight. Find shade if you need to be outdoors. You can also calculate how much ultraviolet (UV) exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule: A shadow that is longer than you are means UV exposure is low; a shadow that is shorter than you are means the UV exposure is high.

Other ways to protect yourself from the sun include wearing protective clothing, such as:

• Hats with wide 4 in. (10 cm) brims that cover your neck, ears, eyes, and scalp.
• Sunglasses with UV ray protection.
• Loose-fitting, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs.

Preventing sun exposure in children

You should start protecting your child from the sun when he or she is a baby. Because children spend a lot of time outdoors playing, they get most of their lifetime sun exposure in their first 18 years.

• It’s safest to keep babies younger than age 6 months out of the sun. If you can’t keep your baby out of the sun, cover your child’s skin with hats and clothing. Protect any bare skin with a small amount of sunscreen that is sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher.
• Teach children the ABCs of how to protect their skin from getting sunburned.
  • A = Away. Stay away from the sun in the middle of the day (from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon).
  • B = Block. Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher to protect babies' and children's very sensitive skin.
  • C = Cover up. Wear clothing that covers the skin, hats with wide brims, and sunglasses with UV protection. Even children 1 year old should wear sunglasses with UV protection.
  • S = Speak out. Teach others to protect their skin from sun damage.

Sunscreen protection