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RSSDo You Know How To Prevent Skin Cancer?
When I started researching skin cancer, it was merely to provide a few interesting facts to surround an interesting skin cancer video that I had seen on Current TV. Unfortunately, the more I looked into it, the less clear cut the information from the National Cancer Institute and World Health Organization became.
Both organizations know that skin cancer comes from the sun, but they refute a lot of what I thought was common knowledge. It seems that the only way to avoid skin cancer is to stay out of the sun, but in the summertime, this can be almost impossible if you aren’t a blogging hermit (such as yours truly). Considering that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and accounts for a third of all cancer diagnosis worldwide, I’m amazed at how inconclusive the prevention information is.
What I Thought About Skin Cancer
- Wearing sunscreen will protect me like an anti-cancer shield.
- Skin cancer is easily treatable like chopping off a mole.
- Tanning salons will greatly increase the risk of skin cancer.
What I Found Out About Skin Cancer
- It is not known if avoiding sunburns or using sunscreen lowers the risk, but studies have suggested that unprotected exposure to UV rays from tanning beds and sunlight and can increase the risk of skin cancer.
- Vitamin D, which is naturally produced by exposure to the sun, has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
- It is unknown whether the incidence of skin cancer is higher for tanning beds than exposure to natural sunlight, but women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55% more likely to develop malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
- According to the ADA, the amount of UV emitted from a tanning booth can be fifteen times higher than outdoor levels.
- The World Health Organization does not recommend the use of UV tanning devices for cosmetic purposes.
What To Do?
Ok, so I was right to think that tanning beds are bad, but what are you supposed to do when the recommendation for decreasing skin cancer will increase your risk of colon cancer? I guess it just depends on whether you want your cancer to start on the outside and work in, or vice versa. Because prevention seems impossible, the only thing we might be able to do is to pay close attention to the early warning signs. While a little bit like a scare video that you’d see in health class, the video below does show how to detect suspicious moles, which could just save your life one day.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I’m big-time pale (Finnish and Scottish, yikes) so I can relate. I’ve done a fair amount of reading, and this might help:
-You can get more than enough Vitamin D from about 20 minutes a day of sun exposure, and the most important place on your body to absorb sunlight for Vit. D production is your eyes. So go stare at the sun! (Okay, don’t stare- but put on the sunscreen and go outside just for a wee bit.)
-You also get lots of Vitamin D from fortified milk, cereal, and fish.
-Maybe sunscreen or sunblock isn’t 100% “the answer”, but it’s better than nothing. So is wearing opaque clothing, hats and sunglasses.
-Die from something else first and screw cancer in the ass!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Being an utterly pasty-pale German/Irish girl, I’ve made it a point–now that I’m older and wiser–to have done a fair bit of research on this subject.
One of the items that many sites don’t detail is that ADA, AMA, and other sources recommend utilizing a sunscreen that has UVA and UVB blocking capabilities-commerically named ‘broad-spectrum’ in most cases (same goes for sunglasses).
And also that sunscreens that are in that whoa crazy category of 70+ SPF are really no more effective than 30-45 SPF.
SPF is based on the amount of time you’re supposed to be able to spend in the sun without getting red/tender…because the more time you’re out, the more you sweat or come into contact with external moisture, the chances are the sunscreen will wash away…thus regardless of the SPF strength, you should re-appy every 30 minutes to hour.
The sunscreen recommended almost unanimously across the board–Neutrogena Dry-Touch. It gets my personal recommendation too…doesn’t make you feel like an oil slick after application!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
PS…if you’re like me and your scalp gets burned in about 10 minutes, Baby Blanket Scalp Tender Spray (SPF 45). I’ve never seen it in stores and usually order it on Amazon.
End of M-shel’s PSAs!
July 10th, 2008 at 10:40 am
M-shel is right on about the Neutrogena Dry Touch stuff- it’s the best.
July 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Having experienced basal cell, squamous cell and a pre melanoma scare, I would say the sun is not your friend. Pre damage from sun burns ect especially blistering causes damage. I see a dermatologist every 3-6 mos and she recommends 70+ Neutrogena as well as clothing with sun protection (there is a wash in product that is as cheap as dirt) or covering all areas that may be exposed. Getting Vit D from the sun would not come highly recommended as causes of cataracts are sun exposure and smoking. I am happy to hear there are people out there who are taking care of their skin!