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The Vocabulary:

Basal cell – The most common form of skin cancer that begins in the outer layer of the skin.
Broad-spectrum – A term found on sun protection labels that indicates it provides protection from
both UVA and UVB rays.
Hypoallergenic – A term, sometimes found on sunscreen, that manufacturers may use to imply a product causes fewer allergic reactions; it is not regulated by the FDA and no
federal standard governs this term.
Melanoma – The third most common skin cancer, is dangerous and causes the most deaths.
Skin cancer – Abnormal cell growth of the skin.
SPF – Sun Protection Factor; SPF is a measure of how much UV radiation (solar energy) is required to produce sunburn on skin protected with sunscreen, relative to the amount of solar energy required to produce sunburn on unprotected skin; SPF does not inform consumers about the time that can be spent in the sun without getting sunburn.
Squamous cell – Cancer that begins in thin, flat cells found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin.
Sunblock – Substance that contains minerals ingredients that block UV rays.
Sunscreen – Substance that protects the skin through a chemical reaction to UV light; converting UV rays into heat then releasing them from the skin.
UV index – The UV Index is a forecast of the amount of skin-damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth’s surface at the time when the sun is highest in the sky; the UV Index can range from 0 at nighttime to 11+.
UVA – The UV rays are most likely to reach the earth; these rays can reach deep into human skin and are linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles.
UVB – UV rays that can damage the DNA in skin cells, causing sunburns and most skin cancers.
UVC – UV rays that do not reach the earth’s surface because they are blocked by the ozone layer; humans are only exposed to UVC radiation from artificial sources such as a lamp or laser.
Water-resistant – Found on the sunscreen label, the number of minutes sunscreen remains effective when exposed to or submerged in water. Sunscreen is available in water-resistant 40 or water-resistant 80.