Summer Sizzle: 8 Save-Your-Skin Facts

As we head into the summer months, take time to protect your skin. Remember, skin cancer can strike anyone. Read on for the latest information and skin-saving advice.

1. Skin cancer can appear anywhere. Sure, it tends to develop on areas frequently exposed to sun (the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, hands and legs), but it can also be found on your palms, beneath your nails, between your toes and in the genital area.

2. Anyone can get skin cancer. Skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, though those who are fair-skinned and freckle or burn easily are more susceptible. And it’s not only a problem for older people: The number of cases of basal cell and squamous cell cancers is rising fastest in those under age 40.
   

3. Getting a “base” tan won’t help. A tan is your body’s way of responding to injury from UV radiation. Pigment cells in your skin make more pigment to protect your skin from further damage. So in your quest to prevent damage, you’re actually getting a head start on the destruction.

4. Tanning booths are never a good idea. They emit ultraviolet B (UVB) and high doses of ultraviolet A (UVA). Both can cause damage (wrinkles, age spots) and skin cancer. UVA even weakens the immune system and increases the risk of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Indoor tanning can also cause eye damage.

5. Choosing the right sunscreen makes a difference. Look for one that’s water-resistant, provides broad-spectrum coverage against UVA and UVB radiation and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

6. Wearing sunscreen doesn’t mean you can spend unlimited time outdoors. Sunscreen doesn’t provide complete protection, and its effectiveness is diminished if you don’t apply enough or don’t reapply as instructed. Put it on 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours—every 80 minutes if you’re in water or sweating heavily. Limit outdoor time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants and wide-brimmed hats.

7. The sun can cause damage even on cloudy days. Even when the sun’s not shining, up to 80 percent of its UV rays still get through.

8. Wearing sunscreen won’t make you vitamin D deficient. Your body needs sunlight to make vitamin D, and sunscreen can decrease vitamin D production. But just 10 minutes daily of unprotected exposure is enough to ramp up vitamin D levels, and you likely get the recommended amount by running a few errands without wearing sunscreen. So don’t actively seek out the sun. Instead, speak with your healthcare provider about vitamin D supplements.

Researched, written and edited by Dowden Custom Media.

Bibliography

Environmental Protection Agency. A guide to the UV index. Available at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/doc/uviguide.pdf.. Accessed December 4, 2008.

American Academy of Dermatology. Facts about sunscreens. Available at: www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_sunscreen.htm. Accessed December 4, 2008.

Mayo Clinic. Skin cancer. Available at: www.mayoclinic.com/print/skin-cancer/DS00190/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all. Accessed December 4, 2008.

SkinCancerNet. Indoor tanning: what you may not know. Available at: www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/indoor_tanning.html. Accessed December 4, 2008.

MedlinePlus. Sunscreens. Available at: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682787.html. Accessed December 4, 2008.

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