Holy heat wave! Are you overdone in the sun?

Whew! Hot diggity!

Holy heat wave! Are you overdone in the sun?
Holy heat wave! Are you overdone in the sun?

Welcome to the Tropic of Cancer.

It's hotter than a witch's elbow out there! Who's up for frying an egg on that sunny sidewalk out front?

The midsummer heat index is way up and rising still across the United States. In the American Midwest, storms have downed major power lines, leaving folks without utilities for days on end. Air conditioners are on the fritz.

Who's getting a little hot under the collar?

Are you becoming a bit crispy from soaking up so much summer sun? Perhaps you are burning the sandal at both ends. Before you are crisped to a cinder in the sunshine, it may be time for a wee warning.

Here's a caution the lifeguard at the beach or pool may not shout through her megaphone. But it's true.

If you play with fire, you may get burned.

OK, we've all heard that before. Still, when it comes to the sun's UVA and UVB rays, the fiery warning is warranted for sun worshippers of all ages.

Here we are in July, right smack in the middle of Cancer (if you follow astrology). Although this Zodiacal sign is represented by a crab, it could also be seen as a sarcoid, a melanoma or another form of skin tumor.

Who doesn't know yet that harsh sunburns can lead to skin cancer?

Sure, everything seems to look and feel slimmer with a suntan. Maybe we all seem like hot tickets when we sport golden tans. But that summer sizzle comes with a catch.

Trust me. I've had skin cancer. One episode of deep tissue carcinoma, and I'm a believer. Skin Cancer is No Picnic. The digging and stitching are a drag. And a nasty scar serves as a reminder to slather on the SPF.

Here's the good news!

We don't have to burn our bridges with the sweet summer sun. But we may need to be a little more savvy about suntanning.

It's fairly easy to prevent dermatological cancers. Just use tons of sunscreen products, and try to stay out of the sun during the strongest UVA/UVB ray hours of the day.

And check often for odd looking lesions or moles. Spotting Skin Cancers May Be as Easy as A-B-C-D.


Just ask my dermatologist.

I call her Dr. Whack-a-Mole . And I'm one of her best customers.

More from Linda Ann:

Choosing Sunscreen Products

Product Review: NO-AD Baby Sunblock

Six Simple Remedies for a Sunburned Face