Don?t Rely Solely on Sunscreen to Protect Your Skin
- From: J <nexsw@nvalid,anon>
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 13:49:59 -0400
<http://patient.cancerconsultants.com/CancerNews.aspx?DocumentId=39784>
Don?t Rely Solely on Sunscreen to Protect Your Skin
According to an article published in The Lancet, the best ways to protect
your skin from the sun are to wear sun-protective clothing and hats and to
minimize your time in the sun. Sunscreen can play a role in sun
protection, but it must be used correctly and should not be used to extend
your time in the sun.
Each year more than one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in
the United States.[1] Skin cancer is often divided into two broad
categories: melanoma and non-melanoma. Melanoma is less common than
non-melanoma skin cancer, but tends to be much more aggressive.
Non-melanoma skin cancer refers to several different types of skin cancer,
but the most common types are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell
carcinoma.
An alarming trend in both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers is that
the frequency of these cancers is increasing?including the frequency in
children and young adults.[2],[3]
Sun exposure contributes to both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer,
and sun protection over the course of a lifetime is the most important
aspect of skin cancer prevention. An article published in The Lancet
recently reviewed the best approaches to sun protection, and made the
following points:[4]
* The best approach to protecting yourself from the sun is to avoid
the sun, especially during the middle of the day.
* Clothing and hats can provide good protection, but the degree of
protection varies with the fabric. Clothing that is tightly woven and
thicker provides greater protection.
* Sunscreen has been shown to reduce the risk of nonmelanoma skin
cancer, but it?s still uncertain whether it reduces the risk of melanoma.
* Most people do not apply enough sunscreen; apply it liberally to get
the maximum possible benefit, and reapply regularly. It?s also important
to apply it evenly, and to apply it before you go out in the sun.
* Look for a sunscreen that provides protection against both UVB and
UVA.
* Do not use sunscreen to extend your time in the sun.
When you do need to spend time in intense sunlight, the article notes ?the
use of clothing over as much of the skin surface as possible, and proper
application of a highly protective sunscreen over the remainder of the
exposed skin, is very effective.?
References:
[1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2006. Available at
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/stt_0.asp (Accessed April 17, 2006)
[2] Christenson LJ, Borrowman TA, Vachon CM et al. Incidence of basal cell
and squamous cell carcinomas in a population younger than 40 years. JAMA.
2005;294:681-690.
[3] Strouse J, Fears T, Tucker M, Wayne A. Pediatric melanoma: risk factor
and survival analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results
Database. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2005; 23: 4735-4741.
[4] Lautenschlager S, Wulf HC, Pittelkow MR. Photoprotection. The Lancet
[early online publication]. May 3, 2007.
.
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