Men are terrible at skin cancer prevention

In a recent survey just 51% of men reported using sunscreen in the last year.  We’re not talking about using sunscreen every day, were talking about using sunscreen in the last year at any time PERIOD.

So its probably no surprise that men over the age of 50 are twice as likely as women over the age of 50 to die from melanoma.

Why are men so bad at skin cancer prevention?

Are we just lazy?

The reality here is that men just don’t like to do much for their skin.  For most of us, if we shower everyday with Zest or Dial we’re ready to call it done.  Men are just not making sunscreen part of their daily routine.

So I’ve got one simple recommendation:  Use a moisturizer with sunscreen as an aftershave everyday.  The idea is to take something we do every morning-shaving-and attach to it a 10 second step that will reduce our risk of skin cancer.  All you need to do is find something that will work well for this, preferably cheap, and then smear it all over your face every morning after you shave.  I’ve tried about a dozen products and these are my favorite two:

1. Neutrogena oil free moisturizer with SPF 30.  $7.  Can be found at most large stores and online.  It doesn’t make you feel oily and goes on nice and thin.  Its great for men with sensitive skin as well as oily skin.
2. Cetaphil Daily facial moisturizer with SPF 50.  $10.  Also very easy to find.  Its a little oilier than the neutrogena one and  is good for men with drier skin.  It works well as an aftershave.

So if you are oily, get #1, if you tend to be dry, get #2.  Then, in the morning after shaving just smear it all over your face, forehead, neck, ears.  Done!  With 10 seconds a day, you will cut your skin cancer risk.

Work on making that part of your routine, and then move on to the general sun safety tips I’ve written about to help protect the rest of your body!