From the Center For Disease Control Website

Protect Yourself from the Sun

Summer is a great time to have fun outdoors. It's also a time to take precautions to avoid sunburns, which can increase your risk of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved with developing skin cancer. During the summer months, UV radiation tends to be greater.

To help prevent skin cancer while still having fun outdoors, regularly use sun protective practices such as

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage.
• Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin. A long-sleeved shirt and long pants with a tight weave are best.
• Get a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
• Grab shades that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
• Rub on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.

It's always wise to choose more than one way to cover up when you're in the sun. Use sunscreen and put on a shirt... Seek shade and grab your sunglasses... Wear a hat, but rub on sunscreen too. Combining these sun protective actions helps protect your skin from the sun's damaging UV rays.

UV rays reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays will also reflect off any surface like water, cement, sand, and snow. Additionally, UV rays from artificial sources of light, like tanning beds, cause skin cancer and should be avoided.

Most forms of skin cancer can be cured. However, the best way to avoid skin cancer is to protect your skin from the sun. For more information, please visit Basic Information about Skin Cancer and Skin Cancer Questions and Answers.

Protecting Children from the Sun

Just a few serious sunburns can increase your child's risk of skin cancer later in life. Kids don't have to be at the pool, beach, or on vacation to get too much sun. Their skin needs protection from the sun's harmful UV rays whenever they're outdoors. Parents, help your children play it safe in the sun and protect your own skin as well. You're an important role model. For more information on how to protect children, visit Play It Safe in the Sun: A Guide for Parents.

Children need protection from the sun when they're at school, too. Two publications are available to help schools minimize UV exposure during childhood:

• The brochure Sun Safety at Schools: What You Can Do (PDF-245KB) explains how school administrators and staff, parents, and community healthcare service providers can promote sun safety.
• Shade Planning for America's Schools (PDF-1.2MB) is a manual to help school communities create and maintain a physical environment that supports sun safety by ensuring that school grounds have adequate shade.

For more information on how schools can help prevent skin cancer, visit Guidelines for School Programs to Prevent Skin Cancer.

Remember, when in the sun, seek shade, cover up, get a hat, wear sunglasses, and use sunscreen!

Please note: Some of these publications are available for download only as *.pdf files. These files require Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to be viewed. Please review the information on downloading and using Acrobat Reader software.

Page last reviewed: July 14, 2008
Page last updated: July 14, 2008
Content source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Happy Holidays From Shade Fla

Wishing you every happiness this Holiday Season and prosperity in the New
Year. We look forward to a wonderful 2009 and hope to be of service to you.

There is nothing quite like winter in Miami and our custom shade structures
make outdoor living safer and more enjoyable for everyone. If we already do
business with you, thank you for being our customer, and we look forward to
continuing our relationship in the coming year. If we have not had the
pleasure of doing business with you yet, we look forward to that soon.



All the best to you and those closest to your heart,

Shade Fla

Best Sunscreens

Best Sunscreens
From Joy Anderson (info from ABC News 20/20)

Interesting Top Ten List of effective and SAFE sunscreens. Save your $, the CVS brand came in at #3! It never occurred to me that some of the ingredients in the sunscreens are microscopic and has not been determined if they can cause health risks. Apparently the jury is still out on ingredients like mexoryl and helioplex as to their overall safety. Slather it on!

Recommended products from popular brands*

1. Blue Lizard
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Sensitive, SPF 30
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Baby, SPF 30+
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Face, SPF 30+

2. California Baby
California Baby Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunscreen Lotion Natural Bug Blend, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/year-Round, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunblock Stick Everyday/year-Round, SPF 30+

3. CVS
CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+

4. Jason Natural Cosmetics
Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+

5. Kiss My Face
Kiss My Face Face Factor Paraben Free, SPF 30
Kiss My Face 100% Paraben Free Sunscreen with Oat Protein, SPF 30

6. Neutrogena
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30

7. Olay
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, Sensitive Skin, SPF 30
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30

8. SkinCeuticals
Skinceuticals Physical UV Defense, SPF 30

9. Solar Sense
Solar Sense Clear Zinc, for Face, SPF 45

10. Walgreens
Walgreens Sunblock with Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose & Ears, SPF 45+

Major brands that have no recommended sunscreens: Aubrey Organics (6), Avalon Natural Products (8), Aveeno (21), Banana Boat (41), Biore (1), Biotherm (11), Bull Frog (9), Burt's Bees (2), Cetaphil (2), Clean & Clear (2), Coppertone (41), Cover Girl (4), Dove (4), Dr. Scholl's (2), Elizabeth Arden (12), Eucerin (5), Garnier (3), Gillette (1), Hawaiian Tropic (10), Jergens (2), Juvena (2), La Roche-Posay (5), Lancome (28), LORAC (5), Lubriderm (1), Maybelline (1), Murad (9), Nature's Gate (7), Nivea (4), Paradise Gold (4), Phisoderm (2), Pond's (2), Purpose (2), RoC (6), Skin Simple (1), Target (.method) (1), The Body Shop (3), Vichy (2), Zia Natural Skincare (3)

For more information visit http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SummerSizzle/story?id=5279898&page=1

Sleek and Retractable Sails Come to U.S.!

Sun Square System

Sleek and Retractable Sails Come to U.S.!

(Miami, FL). SunSquare Systems retractable sails will be sold in the U.S. by ShadeFla, a local architectural shade company. The sail, a patented system, is a one of a kind system that contains an anemometer (wind sensor) that will automatically retract the sail when winds exceed 30 MPH. A spring mechanism pre-tensions the sail allowing the sail to flex in gusty winds. This product geared for commercial and high end residential, will provide rain and sun protection and allow you to look at the stars at night if you wish!

The product, designed by architect Gerald Wurz, is sleek and modern with stainless steel columns and fittings. The product has over 100 of different components all designed by Wurz and Engineer, Kautzky including spot lights attached to cantilevered arms for indirect illumination of the sails.

The sails extend up to 30 feet and can be cut in a variety of triangular shapes as well as combined for larger spaces. Sun Square uses Sattler fabrics, offering sun protection with the Sattler Solis netting and sun and water protection with the Sattler 321 fabric. The fabric comes in a variety of colors and logos can be printed on the sails. There are also a dozen different shaped column and attachment points allowing each structure to be unique.

There are over 4,000 installations in Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Greece and other countries.

The first U.S. installations will take place this summer on Miami Beach.

ShadeFla is a local architectural company; please visit our website to view our products: www.ShadeFla.com

Sunsquare's® automatic sail system is protected by a worldwide patents. European Patent 0865557, U.S. Patent 6012505

How to Keep Cool With a Shade Structure

Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly necessary to have some form of shade structure to help keep cool and calm even under the hot sun. This is becoming more adopted by every firm, organization, institution, homes and families. Therefore, shade structure products are a hot item on the market these days because of its ability to help keep us all cool and protected from the sun. Because of the increased demand for it and the new aesthetic designs, shade structures have become increasingly more sophisticated in designs and use of materials than it was about a decade ago.

Since it is becoming an increasingly popular thing to have, anyone considering having a shade structure to keep cool with would have to consider getting one or both of the two variants of shade structures, some of which are guaranteed to last for as a long as a decade if used and maintained properly. The beauty of this is that it all takes a one-time investment of a bulk sum and you would never have to worry about shades anymore.

There are two major kinds of shade structures that are effective for both commercial and domestic use currently. These are the modern fabric canopy shelters and the conventional steel roof. The steel roofed shade structure is the best for properties as little as the parks built in a community or neighborhood, and as huge as the horse racing centers. These structures are stronger and last a lot longer. In that sense, it can be said that they are constructed to last a long time. Steel roof shade structures are really solid and some even say that it is virtually indestructible.

This of course is arguable as it depends on the weather conditions of the situated area. Other than that, it has just a few little inconveniencing disadvantages. Some of which are the nestling of birds on the crevices in the roof, the cost of building and construction and the cost of repairs (when necessary). Asides these two, it can be said that they last a very long time providing people - generation after generation- with shade.

For those worrying about the style and beauty of their homes, offices, and building structures and the cost of building a shade structure, the second option is about the best as it has become a lot more sophisticated over the years and a quite affordable. The modern fabric canopy shade structures have about two varying designs out of which a buyer can choose one for use: The Stretched-fabric canopy and nylon-tension cable design. The first of the two has been in use for a long time now but is not exactly the favorite of many people as it doesn't have the ability to stand harsh weather conditions. These types are no longer in high demand as they wear too easily-within 2-3 yrs - and need replacing after a short period. Meanwhile, the second type is stronger, lasts longer and is generally what is used in the industry these days.

Exciting products from SunSquare Systems!

ShadeFla is excited to announce that innovative Shade Structures from Sun Square System, like the one seen above, are available in the U.S. for the first time! A Sun Square® acts as an architectural design element, as each installation is individually adapted to unique construction conditions and the customer’s desires. The structures can also be engineered for temporary use and can be made portable. For more information visit our site www.shadefla.com and SunSquare's site www.sunsquare.com.

Lip Balms and Glosses May Boost Skin Cancer Risks

Lip Balms and Glosses May Boost Skin Cancer Risks

SATURDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) — Shiny lip balms and glosses may attract ultraviolet rays and increase the risk of skin cancer, warns a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

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Dr. Christine Brown noted that protecting your lips from harmful sun rays is as important as using sunscreen to protect your skin. But a recent study found that less than 25 percent of Americans use some form of lip protection.

Lips are more susceptible than skin to aging from chronic sun damage and also more prone to developing serious cancers.

"When skin cancer occurs on the lower lip, it has the potential to be much more aggressive and metastasize to surrounding lymph nodes," Brown said in a prepared statement.

Shiny balms and glosses don't offer protection. Instead, they attract the sun's rays to the lips.

"What most people don't realize is they're actually increasing light penetration through the lip surface by applying something clear and shiny to them," Brown said.

Women should only wear glossy lipsticks in the sun when they have a layer of sun protection on underneath, dermatologists advise.

Anyone who's planning on being outdoors for more than 20 minutes at a time should use a lip sun block with an SPF of 30. Women should apply it in the morning under any lipsticks or lip glosses and then reapply the sun block throughout the day.

People should check their lips for signs of cancer. Consult a dermatologist if you notice any changes to the color of the lip surface (an area turns opaque or white), or if you have persistent peeling or flaking of a spot on your lip, Brown said.

—Robert Preidt