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Preventing further skin cancers

Protecting yourself from the sun is even more important after you have had treatment for skin cancer.

There are precautions that you can take to protect your skin:

Wear clothing made of cotton or natural fibres which are closely woven and offer good protection against the sun.
Protect your face and neck with a wide-brimmed hat.
Always wear sunglasses in strong sunlight.
Use suncream with a high sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 whenever you are exposed to the sun. Follow the instructions on the bottle and re-apply as recommended, particularly after swimming.
Never allow your skin to burn.
Minimise sun exposure during the hottest part of the day (usually between 11am-3pm).
Use fake-tanning lotions or sprays to tan your skin rather than sitting in the sun or using a sunbed.

There’s limited research that suggests that reducing the amount of fat in your diet may help prevent further skin cancers.

While protecting yourself from the sun is important, experts recommend regular exposure to a small amount of sunshine because it helps our bodies to make vitamin D, which keeps our bones and teeth healthy.

Content last reviewed: 1 September 2011

Next planned review: 2013

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Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ.