Exposed to Cancer: 5 Jobs that Put You at Risk

When your job involves spending most of the day outside, pay attention to the amount of sun exposure and the total hours you're outdoors. Here are some jobs that may not always be considered "outdoor work," but when you look at the cumulative sun exposure, it's extensive and harmful.

1. Waiters/ Waitresses - While most of the work is done around tables, short chats with customers, taking orders, and arranging the restaurant before and after customers leave. However, there are tables set outside, and even those in the shade are exposed to sunlight. Your skin remembers every encounter with the sun. Remember that too.

2. Security Guards - Security guards, even those standing under umbrellas or at building entrances, are dangerously exposed to the sun. The umbrella isn't sufficient to protect the skin, and standing at the entrance, often with the door open allowing sunlight in, is also dangerous. Automatic doors are not recommended, as they leave guards exposed to the sun for extended periods.

Personal security guards are also quite exposed to the sun when accompanying VIPs, often without using sunscreen or wearing a hat, just sunglasses with dark lenses.

3. Truck, Taxi, and Bus Drivers - Although drivers seem protected from the sun due to sitting inside vehicles with protective windows, many prefer to leave their left window open. Many photos online clearly show how the left side of the face and left arm are affected by prolonged sun exposure. The skin ages, dries out, turns red, and many suffer from cancerous lesions needing treatment.

4. Gardeners, Teachers, Camp Counselors - Even though the garden and classroom settings seem innocent and protected from sunlight, be aware of the hours when you go outside to watch over the children. These are dangerous times for sun exposure, as these activities mostly occur in the middle of the day when the sun is particularly strong - starting from 10:00 AM.

5. Sales Agents - Sales agents spend most of the day on the road. In addition to driving, they also go outside for waiting and meetings in open areas. This is maximum sun exposure that requires using protective measures.

Smart Sun Behavior

Sometimes you might think that staying mostly indoors in air conditioning means the two hours spent in the scorching sun don’t affect you – but they do, and your skin remembers everything. Here are some recommendations for proper sun behavior:

• Exposure hours - Avoid staying out during peak hours, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Protective creams - While outdoors, always use high-SPF protective creams.
• Application - Apply generously and evenly for full coverage. Apply half an hour before sun exposure and reapply every two hours.
• Clothing - Cover the body as much as possible. Light and thin clothes do not provide comprehensive sun protection, so it is recommended to wear dark, tightly woven fabric.
• Hat - Wear a wide-brimmed hat that protects the face, eyes, neck, nape, and ears.
• Sunglasses - Wear standard sunglasses that filter UV rays.
• Hydration - Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.