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Posts for tag: UVB rays

By Dr. Roger Moore
May 01, 2015
Category: Skin Cancer
Tags: skin cancer   UVA rays   UVB rays   sunscren   sun exposure  

It can be so tempting when the weather is finally beautiful and the sun is out in full strength after a long hard winter to spend as much time outside as possible. You just want to be outside all the time, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, many people do not fully understand that the sun can be very detrimental to your health. The rays of the sun can damage your skin and cause wrinkles, pigmentation and even skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the U.S. today. It can even be deadly. It is vital to your health and the health of your family that you take the proper precautions when you will be exposed to the sun.

First and foremost, the best line of defense if you are going to be in the sun is wearing sunscreen. It is recommended that you use a sunscreen of at least 30 spf. This will effectively block out 97% of UVB rays. It is best to apply sunscreen about a half hour before you go out into the sun and then again right before you go out. This will provide you with the best protection possible. Another important aspect to remember is to choose the correct ingredients in your sunscreen. You will want to select a sunscreen that contains one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone). These ingredients will ensure that you are protected against UVB and UVA rays, which can cause damage to the skin.

Another way to protect yourself from the sun is to avoid it all together. Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is at its hottest. Seek shade whenever possible and wear protective clothing. Melanoma is a serious form of cancer that can be deadly. You increase your risk of skin cancer substantially when you expose yourself to the sun without protection. So remember next time you are heading out for a fun day in the sun, that it is imperative to protect yourself from the damaging rays you will be exposed to. I dare you to avoid the sun and take the proper precautions if you will be exposed. It could save your life.

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By Dr. Roger Moore and Team
April 14, 2015
Category: Skin Cancer
Tags: skin cancer   tanning   sun   UVA rays   UVB rays   melanoma  

Can indoor tanning increase my risk of skin cancer?

People sometimes use indoor tanning in the belief that this will prevent burns when they tan outdoors. However, indoor tanning raises the risk of developing melanoma even if a person has never had burns from either indoor or outdoor tanning, according to a study published May 29 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

To test the hypothesis that indoor tanning without burns prevents sunburn and subsequent skin cancer, researchers at the Masonic Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, and Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis used data from a case-control study on indoor tanning and the risk of melanoma. The researchers had detailed information on indoor tanning and sun exposure for the study participants and excluded those who experienced a burn while tanning indoors.

A total of 1167 melanoma patients were matched to 1101 control subjects by sex and age. All participants completed a questionnaire and telephone interview. In analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors (eg., age, sex, income, education), eye, hair, and skin color, number of freckles and moles, family history of melanoma, and lifetime sun exposure and sunscreen use, they found that melanoma patients reporting zero lifetime burns were nearly four times more likely to be indoor tanners than control subjects. In addition, melanoma patients with zero sunburns reported having started tanning indoors at younger ages and used indoor tanning over more years than other patients who had experienced sunburn, suggesting that greater total exposure contributed to the findings.

The researchers write that their results demonstrate "…that indoor tanning, even when used in a way that does not produce burns, is a risk factor for melanoma."

Source: Oxford University Press USA. (2014, May 28). Indoor tanning, even without burning, increases the risk of melanoma. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 16, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140528163743.htm

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