May is national Skin Cancer Awarness Month

1.3 million people will develop skin cancer this year.

There are three major forms of skin cancer:
1. BASAL CELL CARCINOMA is the most common form of skin cancer. It occurs most frequently in people who spend a great deal of time outdoors and primarily produces lesions on the head and neck
2. SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA is the second most common skin cancer. It primarily affects people who sunburn easily, tan poorly, and have blue eyes and red or blonde hair.
3. MALIGNANT MELANOMA is the most rare form of skin cancer but is the most deadly. It affects the cells, which produce melanin, and seems to be more prevalent among city-dwellers than among people who work out-of-doors. It does not necessarily occur on sun-exposed areas of the body and is thought to be linked to brief, intense periods of sun exposure and a history of severe sunburn in childhood or adolescence.

So what should you do to protect yourself as much as possible against these cancers? Summarizing current research, the following recommendations appear reasonable:
• DO NOT rely on the use of sunscreens alone to protect you against skin cancer.
• DO NOT try to get a tan by visiting a tanning studio. The rays from their UV lamps are extremely harmful and the tan produced does not have the protective effect of a sunlight-induced tan.
• DO try to develop a moderate natural suntan unless you have extremely sensitive skin and burn easily. Regular and moderate unprotected sun exposure in the early morning or late afternoon will help maintain a protective tan and keep your Vitamin D stores at an optimum level.
• DO wear protective clothing and a wide-brimmed hat when you are outside. Avoid sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM if at all possible. Remember that UV rays, particularly UVA, are present even on cloudy days.
• DO wear sunglasses that filter out 100% of the ultraviolet light to protect yourself against the development of cataracts.
• DO remember that sunlight is strongly reflected from sand, snow, ice, and concrete and can increase your direct sunlight exposure by 10 to 50%.
• DO make sure to supplement your diet with antioxidants. Dr. Abram Hoffer in Victoria, Canada recommends that Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Selenium be used as protection against the damages of excessive ultraviolet radiation.
• DO cut down on the fat in your diet. Recent research has shown that patients with non-melanoma skin cancers can reduce their risk of developing additional actinic keratoses (precursors to skin cancer) by switching to a low fat diet (25).
• Do use a physical sunscreen not a chemical sunscreen.

Sunscreens are designed to protect against sunburn (UVB rays) and UVA rays. They come in two forms:
1. CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS contain chemicals such as benzophenone or oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) as the active ingredient. They prevent sunburn by absorbing the ultraviolet (UVB) rays.
2. PHYSICAL SUNSCREENS contain inert minerals such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or talc and work by reflecting the ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) rays away from the skin.