The summer season means many of us are spending more time in the sun.

Before you head out, though, we ask that you take a few moments to pause and think about the toll all of those ultraviolet rays can do to your skin and your health. It’s especially important this time of year.

The Skin Cancer Foundation reminds us that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer each day — and more than two people will die of the disease each hour. Around 20 percent of Americans will develop skin cancer by the time they are 70 years old, the foundation said. It’s projected that there will be 212,200 cases of melanoma diagnosed this year, and the cost of treatment will be $8.1 billion.

Sadly, it’s estimated that 8,430 people will die of skin cancer this year — 5,470 men and 2,960 women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the age-adjusted incidence rate of melanoma of the skin per 100,000 people in 2021 in the United States was 23. In our region, that number for Ohio was 21.99. West Virginia checked in at 21.42, while Pennsylvania stood at 22.53.

Breaking it down further, during the 10-year period that ended in 2021, the rate in Jefferson County was 18.23. It was 19.47 in Harrison County, 15.25 in Belmont County, 18.01 in Columbiana County and 19.82 in Carroll County. Rates in Hancock and Brooke counties in West Virginia were 15.65 and 16.33, respectively, while in Pennsylvania they were 20.08 percent in Allegheny County, 19.18 in Beaver County and 19.65 in Washington County.

Numbers from the foundation show that your risk of developing skin cancer more than doubles if you have had five or more sunburns in your life, and that a person will receive more than 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure by the time they are 18.

While everyone needs to be careful, it’s critical to protect infants, children and teenagers. That can sometimes be easier said than done — according to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 65 percent of high school students have suffered sunburn in the past year. Girls are more likely to fall into that category than boys, with 67.9 percent of female students and 61.5 percent of male students reporting they suffered sunburns. High school athletes are at an even greater risk, numbers show.

To keep your exposure to a minimum, the Skin Cancer Foundation says to stay indoors or find shade in the middle of the day, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV radiation is the strongest. Whenever you have to be outside, cover your skin with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, wide-brimmed hats and always wear sunglasses.

When you go outside, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30 on all exposed skin. Apply the sunscreen at least 15 minutes, preferably 30, before heading out in the sun.

These rules apply even on a cloudy day — remember, it’s not the light that damages the skin, it’s the ultraviolet radiation which will still be present.

Avoid tanning beds and contact a dermatologist if you notice changes in your skin.

Those numbers might paint a bleak picture, but it’s not all bad — the survival rate for a person diagnosed early with melanoma is about 99 percent, with that number dropping sharply for those who delay treatment or whose cancers are diagnosed in later stages.

Enjoy the sunshine that we are sure to be experience — and remember to take precautions to reduce the chance that you — or someone in your family — will get skin cancer.