NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A summer full of sunny days and time outside is always remembered as a good one, but not keeping a check on your health could come with consequences.
The heat wave has doctors concerned knowing families exposed without anything on their skins can cause a lot of damage, specifically skin cancer.
The rising UV index is the main way we can tell how bad the sun is for our skin. If it's at 6 or 7 for the day, you're at a high risk when not wearing any sun screen. 8 or higher is an extreme risk.
SPF 30 is great for daily use, SPF 50 if you'll be out more than an hour.
Summertime is also a great chance to head to the dermatologist for skin checks. Sometimes those oddly shaped freckles can be more dangerous than you think and catching it early could save you from any skin cancer advancing.
"It's really important that we are vigilant that we're having our annual skin checks that you're doing skin checks at home once a month to look at all of your skin to make sure that you're not seeing anything new changing bleeding," said dermatologist Michelle Henry. "Any growth is really important that you also advocate for yourself by your own self care at home."
Fundraising efforts are underway in Brownsville and Nutbush, TN to build a statue for a major superstar who was raised there, Anna Mae Bullock. You probably know her by her stage name, Tina Turner. I was a huge fan of Tina and glad to see efforts are underway to showcase more of her ties to West Tennessee.
-Lelan Statom
