It's Just As Important To Wear Sunblock In The Winter As The Summer

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Each and every day I have the opportunity to see patients and focus on ways to make them feel better.

One of the key roles is prevention. Whether we talk about smoking cessation, the need for certain vaccines or ways to prevent heart disease the conversations and lifestyle changes are many. But this time of year we rarely discuss a very important topic -- skin cancer.

The reasons are obvious. It is cold and unless there is a vacation in the near future no one is heading to the beach soon. What you may not know is that as you are driving, you are being exposed to the sun's dangerous rays and not only is this damaging your skin and gradually making it less elastic, but your risk of skin cancer is also going up.

It is just as important to wear sunblock in the winter as the summer. We just do not think about it.