Summer sun safety guidelines

One in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime with more than a million people diagnosed with it this year alone. The statistics make it clear that Americans are not protecting their skin from the sun.eNewsletter - Center for Women's Health

In fact, fewer than 33% of adults, adolescents and children routinely use sun protection, according the Skin Cancer Foundation. Of course, skin cancer is not the only result of ultraviolet (UV) ray exposure.

Effects of UV Rays

The most obvious effect of UV exposure is sunburn. Redness, tenderness, pain, swelling or blistering are common symptoms of sunburn, which most people have experienced sometime in their lifetime and probably have self treated. More severe symptoms include fever, chills, nausea and confusion and should be treated by a doctor.

Long-term exposure to sun creates more slowly developing effects that may go unnoticed for a while. These changes include

• Aging
• Wrinkles
• Loss of elasticity of the skin
• Dark patches, “liver spots” or freckles
• Actinic keratoses, small, rough or scaly spots that usually develop on the face, ears, back of the hands and arms of middle-aged or older people with fair skin
• Cataracts and other eye problems
• Suppressed immune system

Skin Cancer

The most common form of cancer is skin cancer with a higher incidence rate than prostate, lung, breast, colon, uterine, ovarian and pancreatic cancer combined. There are two main types of skin cancer: melanomas and non-melanomas. It is important to know the differences so they can be detected and treated when the cancer is more likely to be cured – at the early stages.

Sunburns greatly increase your chance of skin cancer. However, even UV exposure with no sunburn may increase your risk as well, reports the American Cancer Society (ACS).

• Melanoma is less common than non-melanomas and is the more serious of the two because of its ability to spread but almost always is curable in the early stages, according to ACS.
• Non-melanoma is the most common type of skin cancer. Although they rarely spread and are less likely to cause death, non-melanoma can cause scarring.

Melanoma often is found on the back, buttocks, legs, scalp, neck and behind the ears but other areas may include soles, palms, inside the mouth, genitalia and underneath nails.

The best way to detect melanoma is by continually examining your moles. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 20 to 40 percent of melanomas developed from a mole. Types of moles you should talk to your doctor about include those that are asymmetrical (not an even shape), have a border, have a mix of colors – especially red, white or blue – are more than 6 millimeters in diameter or about the size of a pencil eraser, bleed, itch or change in size over time.

Sun Protection

The good news is that there are basic guidelines that will better protect you and your family from damaging sun.

• Avoid midday sun exposure if possible – usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. the sun is at its strongest.
• Frequently apply sunscreen with a SPF 15 or higher.
• Wear a hat.
• Cover your skin if possible with clothing such as pants, long sleeved shirts and long skirts. Keep in mind that UV rays are more likely to penetrate some types of clothing than others such as a loosely woven material or light colors.
• Wear sunglasses that block UV rays.
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. Almost 37 percent of white females between the ages of 13 and 19 have used a tanning bed.

With summer coming, you don’t want to stop your family’s fun in the sun, but now is the time to practice these sun safety guidelines so you and your family can enjoy the outdoors year after year.

Resources

1. “Skin Cancer Facts.” Skin Cancer Foundation, 2005.

2. “Sun Safety.” Sun Safety Tips, Skin Cancer Foundation, 2005.

3. “Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Detection.” American Cancer Society, 2005.