Don't Fry Day: It's about treating your skin properly

First things first.

Don’t Fry Day has nothing against McDonald’s.

Now that we’ve got that straight, why is this Friday (May 22) Don’t Fry Day?

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared the Friday before Memorial Day to be “Don’t Fry Day” to encourage sun safety awareness. And it all started in November 2008.

According to information from https://www.sunsafetyforkids.org/dontfryday/, the Sun Safety for Kids’ president, Dr. Jeff Ashley, presented a proposal to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention for a national observance to focus attention on sun protection. Ashley suggested choosing a Friday and calling it "Don't Fry Day." Very clever marketing.

The proposal was accepted by the Council member organizations, which include the American Cancer Society, American Academy of Dermatology, US EPA, and US CDC among some 40 additional medical and cancer advocacy organizations. After the Council agreed to serve as the official sponsor, the observance was set to take place on the Friday prior to Memorial Day each year.

So, what do you do to observe Don’t Fry Day? Dermatology and Skin Health will be open from 7:30 a.m. to noon. At the 784 Central Ave., Dover offices, you can try the new automated sunscreen dispensers, plus they will give you a sunscreen sample to take with you.

What else can you do? You can educate yourself about sunscreen facts and protection.

Don’t Fry Day asks that you follow as many of the following tips as possible:
-Do Not Burn or Tan
-Seek Shade
-Wear Sun-Protective Clothing
-Generously Apply Sunscreen
-Use Extra Caution Near Water, Snow, and Sand
-Get Vitamin D Safely

From https://skincancerprevention.org/programs/dont-fry-day: “skin cancer is on the rise in the United States, and the American Cancer Society estimates that one American dies every hour from skin cancer. This year alone, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 73,870 new cases of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and more than two million new cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers in the U.S.”

If you really want to get involved with Don’t Fry Day, why not follow their Twitter feed? That’s right -- everyone has a Twitter account these days-- and they’ve had one since 2009. Log on to www.twitter.com/dontfryday and check out what the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is sending out into the Twittersphere.

Remember: Skin cancer can be curable if found early and can be prevented. The mantra to remember is “Slip! Slop! Slap!...and Wrap” when you’re outdoors — slip on a shirt, slop on broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, and wrap on sunglasses.

The best way to detect skin cancer early is to examine your skin regularly and recognize changes in moles and skin growths.

If you see something suspicious, or have questions, please contact Dermatology and Skin Health at 603.742.5556 and visit www.https://dermskinhealth.com/

For more information about Don’t Fry Day, visit The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention at https://www.skincancerprevention.org/