MedClick

A Healthy Tan?

Leading Oncologists (from the Institute of Cancer Research in London), are warning of a skin cancer epidemic where young women are particularly at risk. The incidence and death rates of malignant melanoma - the deadliest skin cancer, are inexorably rising.

The World Health Organisation puts ultraviolet radiation from the sun in the same category as smoking. When people are sold a "healthy tan", either from burning in the sun or on a sun bed, they should know they are being sold a carcinogen. It is clear from current research that the harmful effects of exposure to ultraviolet rays require the use of effective sunscreen regardless of an individual's ethnicity or skin type.

Sunscreen. A sunscreen is basically a chemical agent which is used to absorb energy from the harmful UV radiation. When purchasing sunscreen, it is important to bear in mind that some types will be less efficient in terms of their effectiveness to limit sunburn and there are also potential side effects associated with certain products. One of the best ways to find the most effective sunscreen is to ask others with the same skin type which products they have found to be useful. Also, remember that those with pale or very white skin will be most at risk of developing serious skin damage from exposure to sunlight.

Rules for Applying Sunscreen. Many people start applying sunscreen when they are already on the beach or at the poolside having already been exposed to the sun for some time already. This is a serious mistake as in order to achieve optimum protection from harmful rays sunscreen should be applied at least one hour before getting out in the sun.

Those who are intending to go swimming or even paddling about in the water must ensure that their sunscreen is water-resistant. Remember it is very easy to get badly sunburned whilst swimming or engaging in various water sports as one's body remains cool, making it harder to recognise the warning signs. For those involved in all-day sports activities out on the water, it is worth purchasing an "all-day" sunscreen or sun block to save having to keep re-applying sunscreen throughout the course of the day. Also, ask a friend or relative to help with sunscreen application as it is virtually impossible to reach all areas (especially the back) by oneself.

Skin Cancer (Malignant Melanoma)

This is one of the deadliest forms of cancer and the latest figures demonstrate that more than 10,000 cases in this country result in 2,000 deaths every year. The cause of the increase in melanoma incidence in the UK is almost entirely behavioural. The only known risk factor for melanoma we know about is UV light. There is a genetic component too, but when you look at the steeply rising graph of foreign travel, with the increase of package tours to the sun in the Seventies, and then study the correspondingly steep rise in incidence of melanoma ten to twenty years later, the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. In Australia, melanoma has overtaken lung cancer as the fourth most common cancer.

In Britain, it is the sixth most common, but given the dramatic rise in incidence, the next statistics will probably place it fifth behind bowel, breast, lung and prostate malignancies. Awareness of skin cancer is lower than many of the other major cancers. Primary lesions may be irritating or unsightly but generally speaking they do not cause any trouble. People do not feel particularly bad. The traditional male reluctance to consult health experts is likely to be a factor in the death rates. Latest statistics demonstrate that while more women are being diagnosed with the disease, more men die from it. The real problem with melanoma is that it spreads. Once a melanoma has spread to the internal organs, average life expectancy is between six and nine months.

The most effective detection method remains inspection with the eyes of a trained physician / dermatologist. Symptoms include moles or skin lesions that change colour or shape, or that bleed or become itchy.

We don't want people to sit indoors on sunny days, but you have to protect yourself. The UV rays from the sun are carcinogenic. Cover up (wear a hat) and use high factor sun screen protection. Parents, who allow children to burn, increase their lifetime risk of melanoma. The more repeated the burning episodes, the higher the risk.