One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime. As fall fast approaches, Neutrogena and actress Gabrielle Union are urging people to make skin cancer prevention part of their daily, year-round routines in an effort to thwart this epidemic.
There is a lot of progress to be made: a recent national survey commissioned by Neutrogena and executed by Harris Interactive showed that just 13 percent of all women in the U.S. wear sunscreen on a daily basis. Fifty-six percent of women surveyed believe the growing rate in skin cancer is due to lack of education.
Additionally, among those who have ever used sunscreen, 76 percent of White women and 63 percent of Hispanic women use it to protect themselves from skin cancer, compared to just 46 percent of African American women. A common belief is that darker skin tones offer a natural barrier from the sun’s damaging rays. However, these myths can often lead to lax and dangerous sun safety behaviors. Committed to eradicating skin cancer, Neutrogena, the number one dermatologist-recommended sun care brand, is dedicated to help save lives through year-round prevention, education and protection efforts.
“Just because summer is ending, sun-safe behavior should not,” says Gabrielle Union. “Skin cancer is the one cancer that’s preventable, yet it’s still on the rise. I’m glad that I can help Neutrogena educate people by spotlighting common sun protection myths and spreading the word that it doesn’t matter the color of your skin; everyone can get skin cancer.”
“There are many misconceptions about who can get skin cancer and how you get skin cancer,” says dermatologist Dr. Darrell Rigel. “The fact that melanoma is the most preventable cancer yet still on the rise, shows that more education is needed.”
Furthermore, the recent survey reveals that while 76 percent of all women believe daily sunscreen use is important in helping prevent skin cancer, the average woman does not begin using it until she is nearly 30, long after significant skin damage has already been done.
View a sun protection PSA from Gabrielle Union, Jennifer Garner and Miranda Cosgrove and learn more about skin cancer prevention at www.csh.neutrogena.com.
Source: PR Newswire
