PREVENTION
(SUN SMARTS)
Each
year nearly a million Americans develop skin cancer. Many
more find that their skin is looking older, damaged, and
wrinkled. All of these problems are preventable by avoiding
the harmful effects of sun exposure. Now, this doesn't mean
you need to avoid the sun altogether - in fact, some direct
sunlight is important in preventing other diseases, such
as vitamin D deficiency. (Actually, you only need a few
minutes of sunlight to get enough vitamin D, or you could
even drink milk or eat tuna fish instead.) The problem is
repetitive sun exposure. How many times did you go out on
a sunny day last month? How about last year? What about
over the last 5 years, 10 years? How many times did you
get so much sun you got a sunburn? Though your tan (or sunburn)
from last summer is long gone, the damage to your skin cells
is still there. Unfortunately, repetitive sun exposure in
the past adds up, and medical studies show that this repetitive
exposure is a major risk for developing skin cancers.
How
does the sun actually damage skin?
The harmful effects of the sun is from its ultraviolet (UV)
radiation. When you expose your skin to the sun, your skin
tries to protect itself (and you) by producing a chemical
called melanin. This is a "natural" sunscreen that has a
dark pigment that can reflect some of the dangerous ultraviolet
light. Because the melanin pigment is dark, it makes your
skin look dark, or tan. Those with blond hair or light skin
types have less melanin than darker individuals and thus
burn more easily - and have a much higher risk of skin damage
and cancer. (Blacks have a lot of melanin, are therefore
dark-skinned, and their risk of getting skin cancers are
much less than Whites.) Unfortunately, melanin only partially
protects the skin from the energy of the sun, and a "deep"
tan doesn't really add much protection. UV rays that are
not reflected but absorbed by the skin can damage the DNA
within the skin cells. Sometimes the damage is to a section
of the DNA that tells the cell not to continue to grow and
multiply (essentially an "off switch"). If this "off switch"
for the DNA is broken, the cell literally keeps multiplying
and growing. This is cancer.
How
can I prevent myself from getting skin cancer?
Prevention is the key! The following three steps will help
you avoid all of the skin cancers (and skin damage in general).
1.
LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE.
Try to limit or avoid the sun when its UV rays are the strongest
(between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.). A good rule-of-thumb is, if
your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade or cover
up. Also, avoid tanning booths and sun lamps. UV light also
goes through clouds, so just because it is cloudy doesn't
make you safe!
2.
COVER UP
If you can't avoid the sun, cover up your skin! Protect
exposed skin by wearing clothes made of tightly woven, light-colored
fabrics with long-sleeves and long pants. Wear a hat with
a wide brim to protect your face and head. Wear sunglasses
to protect your eyes and lower your risk of getting cataracts
latter in life.
3.
USE SPF-15 SUNSCREEN
For the parts of your skin not covered, use a waterproof
sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least
15. Don't forget to use the sunscreen on your ears, lips,
nose, and other areas that readily burn. Here's a link to
purchase a good moisturizer with SPF 15. Click
here to purchase our recommended sunscreen products.
Using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen is important for
day to day activity.
How
do I watch for any suspicious moles?
Click here to see the 9 steps you should do monthly to find
any early cancers or suspicious new growths.
