Educate Yourself About Safe Sun Habits

Education about safe sun habits is necessary from childhood. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, most ‘people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the risk of melanoma later in life.’ This is because skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. (See the box on page 8 for useful tips on safe sun habits.)

Australia has a high rate of skin cancer​—in particular, of melanoma.b This is because the country is populated mainly by fair-skinned Northern European immigrants, the majority of whom live along the coast with its sunny beaches. A study of these immigrants suggested that the earlier in their life they arrived in Australia, the greater their risk of melanoma, bearing out the need to educate about safe sun habits from an early age. The Australian government has mounted an aggressive campaign to educate people about the dangers of the sun, using the slogan “Slip, Slap and Slop,” which stands for “Slip on a T-shirt, Slap on a hat, and Slop on sunscreen.” These moderate changes in life-style are having an impact on the incidence of melanoma among younger age groups in that country.

As to sunscreen, using a broad-spectrum product that filters out both UVA and UVB radiation is wise. This is important even on cloudy days because 85 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds. The rays can also penetrate clear water. A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 is recommended by some experts. To find out how much protection this affords, multiply the number of minutes in which you normally burn by 15. Sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours, but this does not double the total protection time.

Moreover, The Skin Cancer Answer warns that you should not be lulled into a false sense of security just because you use sunscreen. No sunscreen is 100 percent effective against sunburn, nor does it necessarily prevent skin cancer. In fact, the use of sunscreen may indirectly increase the risk of skin cancer​—if using it causes you to stay in the sun longer. The book notes: “There is no substitute for safe sun habits. Wearing protective clothing and staying indoors during peak sunlight hours are considered ‘effective’ weapons against skin cancer.”

What about getting a tan indoors, from sun lamps and tanning beds? Just 20 minutes in a tanning salon is estimated to be equivalent to approximately four hours in the sun. Indoor tanning was thought to be safe because it used mainly UVA radiation, which did not seem to cause burns. But The Skin Cancer Answer states: “It is now known that UV-A penetrates more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may suppress the immune system.” One study reported on in the international edition of The Miami Herald found that women who visited tanning salons once a month or more “increased their chance of developing melanoma by 55 percent.”

Thus, it is necessary to give serious attention to safe sun habits. Remember, the sunburn you receive today may develop into skin cancer 20 years or more in the future.

[Box/Pictures on page 8]

TIPS FOR SAVING YOUR SKIN

1. Limit sun exposure, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the peak hours for harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

2. Examine your skin from head to toe at least once every three months.

3. When outdoors, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher. Apply it liberally 30 minutes before sun exposure and every two hours thereafter. (Sunscreen should not be used on children under six months of age.)

4. Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age, for the damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

5. Wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses.