Skin Cancer Update
Sunning Yourself to Death
January 2002
Some startling news was recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding young Americans and the apparent disregard to heed sun warnings. In research presented at the 2001 Cancer Conference in September, experts found that 10% of U.S. teenagers had used a tanning booth within the previous year and two-thirds don’t apply sunscreen when outside. Although the damaging effects of prolonged sun exposure may not visibly appear until much later in life, the risk for developing skin cancer rises with each sunburn a child suffers.
Yet, wearing sunscreen to prevent sun damage is only one piece of the puzzle we need to worry about teaching patients.Your patients are repeatedly inundated with advertising that reminds them to wear sunscreen and to avoid peak hours in the sun. However, somewhere along the communication line, a link has broken. Younger Americans are bypassing sun warnings and heading straight for the culprit, completely unprepared. In your own practice, treating patients with skin cancer is often reserved for the older generation, but thoroughly educating your younger patients and their parents is the first step in preventing skin cancer. Young patients need to know that they are putting themselves at risk for skin cancer every time they go tanning without taking the proper precautions.
Cause for Alarm?
Another report, also led by a CDC researcher, of 15,000 adults found a surprising portion endured a sunburn within the past year—nearly one-third of the survey population. Young, white males were most at risk within the group surveyed. The researchers expected lower rates among those surveyed with higher education but were proved wrong. The group with higher education accounted for the most sunburns and didn’t heed the correlation warning between skin cancer and UV exposure. Education isn’t enough to keep people from exposing themselves to harmful UV rays.
Reducing the Risk of Melanoma
Well-documented studies exist that insist children wear sunscreens to avoid UV damage later in life. But, sunscreens alone don’t reduce the exposure to all UV light, and a bad sunburn early in life increases the risk of melanoma. At the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in October, researchers presented data that less conclusive evidence existed that sunscreens prevent melanoma from developing. The data emphasized patients should not rely solely on sunscreen for the prevention of skin cancer.
Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., the director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center in La Jolla, CA, laudes the importance of sunscreen. He believes sunscreen “… is critically important in preventing skin cancers of all types, including melanoma.” Wearing sunscreen plays an intricate role in preventing sun damage but isn’t the only precautionary measure patients should take. Sunscreen alone isn’t enough to eliminate the harmful effects of the sun.
Lead researcher, Sophie J. Balk, M.D., believes people may have been lulled into a false sense of security with sunscreen use. She adds that questions exist about effective protection against melanoma among young children. The rate of melanoma has risen dramatically in the United States within the past few decades. A person’s risk is now estimated between 1 and 71 percent in developing the disease within a lifetime. Dr. Balk fears our culture’s obsession with being tan and beautiful factors into the disregard for proper sun maintenance, as children become teenagers.
Researchers recommend encouraging your patients to properly outfit their children with UV blocking sunglasses, clothing and wide-brimmed hats. Dr. Goldman adds that patients should wear long sleeves and avoid peak sun hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He advises his pediatric patients to wear a wet suit or rashguard when in the water. This advice applies to outdoor winter activities when sunlight reflects off snow, concrete and water. Many patients forget the sun is harmful even when it’s cold outside.
With as much as 80% exposure to sun occurring during childhood and teenage years, it’s important to warn young patients and their parents about the dangers of skin cancer and its most deadliest form, melanoma. Dr. Goldman stresses that almost every adult he has seen with melanoma has a history of childhood sunburn. Whereas only a decade ago, doctors educated patients on skin cancer prevention, the fatal melanoma has quickly become a leading cause for alarm. Providing your patients with a complete guide to the sun such as using sunscreen, avoiding peak hours and wearing protective clothing and eyewear can secure their health now. The damaging effects can begin with patients’ first exposures to the sun.
Some startling news was recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding young Americans and the apparent disregard to heed sun warnings. In research presented at the 2001 Cancer Conference in September, experts found that 10% of U.S. teenagers had used a tanning booth within the previous year and two-thirds don’t apply sunscreen when outside. Although the damaging effects of prolonged sun exposure may not visibly appear until much later in life, the risk for developing skin cancer rises with each sunburn a child suffers.
Yet, wearing sunscreen to prevent sun damage is only one piece of the puzzle we need to worry about teaching patients.Your patients are repeatedly inundated with advertising that reminds them to wear sunscreen and to avoid peak hours in the sun. However, somewhere along the communication line, a link has broken. Younger Americans are bypassing sun warnings and heading straight for the culprit, completely unprepared. In your own practice, treating patients with skin cancer is often reserved for the older generation, but thoroughly educating your younger patients and their parents is the first step in preventing skin cancer. Young patients need to know that they are putting themselves at risk for skin cancer every time they go tanning without taking the proper precautions.
Cause for Alarm?
Another report, also led by a CDC researcher, of 15,000 adults found a surprising portion endured a sunburn within the past year—nearly one-third of the survey population. Young, white males were most at risk within the group surveyed. The researchers expected lower rates among those surveyed with higher education but were proved wrong. The group with higher education accounted for the most sunburns and didn’t heed the correlation warning between skin cancer and UV exposure. Education isn’t enough to keep people from exposing themselves to harmful UV rays.
Reducing the Risk of Melanoma
Well-documented studies exist that insist children wear sunscreens to avoid UV damage later in life. But, sunscreens alone don’t reduce the exposure to all UV light, and a bad sunburn early in life increases the risk of melanoma. At the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in October, researchers presented data that less conclusive evidence existed that sunscreens prevent melanoma from developing. The data emphasized patients should not rely solely on sunscreen for the prevention of skin cancer.
Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., the director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center in La Jolla, CA, laudes the importance of sunscreen. He believes sunscreen “… is critically important in preventing skin cancers of all types, including melanoma.” Wearing sunscreen plays an intricate role in preventing sun damage but isn’t the only precautionary measure patients should take. Sunscreen alone isn’t enough to eliminate the harmful effects of the sun.
Lead researcher, Sophie J. Balk, M.D., believes people may have been lulled into a false sense of security with sunscreen use. She adds that questions exist about effective protection against melanoma among young children. The rate of melanoma has risen dramatically in the United States within the past few decades. A person’s risk is now estimated between 1 and 71 percent in developing the disease within a lifetime. Dr. Balk fears our culture’s obsession with being tan and beautiful factors into the disregard for proper sun maintenance, as children become teenagers.
Researchers recommend encouraging your patients to properly outfit their children with UV blocking sunglasses, clothing and wide-brimmed hats. Dr. Goldman adds that patients should wear long sleeves and avoid peak sun hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He advises his pediatric patients to wear a wet suit or rashguard when in the water. This advice applies to outdoor winter activities when sunlight reflects off snow, concrete and water. Many patients forget the sun is harmful even when it’s cold outside.
With as much as 80% exposure to sun occurring during childhood and teenage years, it’s important to warn young patients and their parents about the dangers of skin cancer and its most deadliest form, melanoma. Dr. Goldman stresses that almost every adult he has seen with melanoma has a history of childhood sunburn. Whereas only a decade ago, doctors educated patients on skin cancer prevention, the fatal melanoma has quickly become a leading cause for alarm. Providing your patients with a complete guide to the sun such as using sunscreen, avoiding peak hours and wearing protective clothing and eyewear can secure their health now. The damaging effects can begin with patients’ first exposures to the sun.
Some startling news was recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding young Americans and the apparent disregard to heed sun warnings. In research presented at the 2001 Cancer Conference in September, experts found that 10% of U.S. teenagers had used a tanning booth within the previous year and two-thirds don’t apply sunscreen when outside. Although the damaging effects of prolonged sun exposure may not visibly appear until much later in life, the risk for developing skin cancer rises with each sunburn a child suffers.
Yet, wearing sunscreen to prevent sun damage is only one piece of the puzzle we need to worry about teaching patients.Your patients are repeatedly inundated with advertising that reminds them to wear sunscreen and to avoid peak hours in the sun. However, somewhere along the communication line, a link has broken. Younger Americans are bypassing sun warnings and heading straight for the culprit, completely unprepared. In your own practice, treating patients with skin cancer is often reserved for the older generation, but thoroughly educating your younger patients and their parents is the first step in preventing skin cancer. Young patients need to know that they are putting themselves at risk for skin cancer every time they go tanning without taking the proper precautions.
Cause for Alarm?
Another report, also led by a CDC researcher, of 15,000 adults found a surprising portion endured a sunburn within the past year—nearly one-third of the survey population. Young, white males were most at risk within the group surveyed. The researchers expected lower rates among those surveyed with higher education but were proved wrong. The group with higher education accounted for the most sunburns and didn’t heed the correlation warning between skin cancer and UV exposure. Education isn’t enough to keep people from exposing themselves to harmful UV rays.
Reducing the Risk of Melanoma
Well-documented studies exist that insist children wear sunscreens to avoid UV damage later in life. But, sunscreens alone don’t reduce the exposure to all UV light, and a bad sunburn early in life increases the risk of melanoma. At the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in October, researchers presented data that less conclusive evidence existed that sunscreens prevent melanoma from developing. The data emphasized patients should not rely solely on sunscreen for the prevention of skin cancer.
Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., the director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center in La Jolla, CA, laudes the importance of sunscreen. He believes sunscreen “… is critically important in preventing skin cancers of all types, including melanoma.” Wearing sunscreen plays an intricate role in preventing sun damage but isn’t the only precautionary measure patients should take. Sunscreen alone isn’t enough to eliminate the harmful effects of the sun.
Lead researcher, Sophie J. Balk, M.D., believes people may have been lulled into a false sense of security with sunscreen use. She adds that questions exist about effective protection against melanoma among young children. The rate of melanoma has risen dramatically in the United States within the past few decades. A person’s risk is now estimated between 1 and 71 percent in developing the disease within a lifetime. Dr. Balk fears our culture’s obsession with being tan and beautiful factors into the disregard for proper sun maintenance, as children become teenagers.
Researchers recommend encouraging your patients to properly outfit their children with UV blocking sunglasses, clothing and wide-brimmed hats. Dr. Goldman adds that patients should wear long sleeves and avoid peak sun hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He advises his pediatric patients to wear a wet suit or rashguard when in the water. This advice applies to outdoor winter activities when sunlight reflects off snow, concrete and water. Many patients forget the sun is harmful even when it’s cold outside.
With as much as 80% exposure to sun occurring during childhood and teenage years, it’s important to warn young patients and their parents about the dangers of skin cancer and its most deadliest form, melanoma. Dr. Goldman stresses that almost every adult he has seen with melanoma has a history of childhood sunburn. Whereas only a decade ago, doctors educated patients on skin cancer prevention, the fatal melanoma has quickly become a leading cause for alarm. Providing your patients with a complete guide to the sun such as using sunscreen, avoiding peak hours and wearing protective clothing and eyewear can secure their health now. The damaging effects can begin with patients’ first exposures to the sun.
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