Recently there have been several articles talking about protection from the sun – everything from the incidence of different types of skin cancer to the effectiveness of sunscreen. Overall, it seems that the things we’ve all come to know about sun exposure are still true, but there is evidence we’re not following the advice very well.
One study published last week was particularly disturbing. The study (from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology) looked at melanoma cases between 1973 and 2004. (Melanoma is the most serious kind of skin cancer – while it is less common than other types of skin cancer, it is more likely to spread and lead to death.) The study found that in young women, since 1980 there was a 50% jump in the number of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma. During the same period of time, the rate did not increase for young men. One good piece of news is that overall deaths from melanoma dropped, which authors attribute to earlier detection.
The study specifically points to increase in exposure – including outdoor activities and indoor tanning. The latter seems like an obvious fix to me – avoid tanning beds altogether. But avoiding outdoor activity seems a lot harder, particularly for those of us who relish our time at the beach or walking outside. Sunscreen is an obvious choice because it’s easy to apply every day and helps us avoid the dreaded sunburn. However, recent research argues that some of the most of the popular types of sunscreen protect against UVB rays and not against UVA rays, which have been linked to skin cancer.
These results don’t suggest tossing the sunscreen altogether, they just remind us that applying sunscreen one time isn’t enough. In perusing the articles related to these findings, here are some general guidelines I’ve seen:
- Apply sunscreen every 2 hours, even if it boasts all day protection.
- Look for higher SPF ratings – while SPF 30, 45 and 70 may protect against more UVB rays, you still need to reapply.
- Look for products with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which protect against a wider spectrum of sunlight.
- Avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Wear dark clothing if you go outside during peak hours.)
In addition, remember that you don’t just get sun exposure when you’re sitting on a beach or biking a long distance. Every day you get some sun exposure, so be sure to use sunscreen (such as a face lotion with sunscreen) every day.
Kerry
