Business Profiles
Start with prevention during Skin Cancer Awareness Month
YORK - May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and with summer quickly approaching, what better time to ensure you and your loved ones are adequately protected from the damaging effects of the sun?
With more than one million new cases of skin cancer expected in the United States in 2007, the first line of defense is daily use of sunscreen.
The following information is provided as a public service from York Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Center.
In addition to preventing sunburn, sunscreen reduces sun-induced damage to the skin, including premature aging, hyperpigmentation, capillary damage, free radical damage, collagen and elastin breakdown, and skin cancer.
It is estimated that close to 85 percent of the skin's aging is caused by the sun, and that 80 percent of damage is done by the age of 18. The good news is you can take preventive measures to reduce your risk.
Begin by applying sunscreen every day. Daily sun exposure, no matter how infrequent or incidental over a lifetime, will cause aging and damage to cells. Even on cloudy days, 80 percent of the sun's rays still pass through the clouds, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
There are two kinds of ultraviolet rays to be most concerned with: UVA and UVB. UVA rays make up nearly 95 percent of the ultraviolet rays that reach the Earth's surface. They are often referred to as the aging rays since they penetrate deep into the skin and cause the breakdown of collagen and elastin, two proteins that provide structure and support to the skin. This deterioration leads to loss of elasticity and wrinkling. UVB rays, also known as the burning rays, stimulate cells responsible for producing melanin. The release of melanin occurs to protect the underlying tissue from damage. Repeated exposure to sunlight can damage and destroy these cells. Both UVA and UVB rays contribute to skin cancers.
SPF stands for sun protection factor, and SPF ratings only apply to UVB rays. So how can you be sure you're getting protection from both burning and aging rays? Look for UVA/UVB or broad spectrum protection on your sunscreen's bottle. To gauge how long a sunscreen will be effective, and therefore when to reapply, follow these guidelines: Take the amount of time in minutes you can stay in the sun, without protection, before you burn and multiply this number by the SPF of your sunscreen. This calculation will give you the number of minutes you can stay in the sun with that SPF on without burning. Reapplication, therefore, is imperative.
One other important fact about SPF is that no sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, while an SPF of 15 may protect you for a couple of hours, it is only blocking 93 percent of the UVB rays. And the number doesn't increase incrementally based on the higher SPF. For example, an SPF of 30 may allow you to stay in the sun a little longer without burning, yet it only blocks an additional 4 percent of the burning rays.
Interested in learning how your brand measures up? For a list of recommended sunscreens that meet the Skin Cancer Foundation's seal of approval, go to http://www.skincancer.org/.
For those who insist on being bronzed, the assortment of self-tanners on the market is growing and some even contain SPF protection. Spray-on tans give a natural glow, but keep in mind these provide no protection against UV damage.
Here are some final words on the use of sunscreen:
Use it, liberally, everyday. One ounce is the recommended amount for the entire body; avoid exposure between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is strongest; reapply at least every two hours even if your SPF calculation allows you to stay in the sun longer. Perspiration and swimming can affect a sunscreen's integrity; check your bottle for its expiration date, and apply at least 30 minutes before sun exposure; wear sunglasses, a hat, and protect the rest of your body - including the ears, back of the neck, hands, lips, the top of the head and feet; avoid tanning beds, booths and sunlamps, and be sure to have a thorough skin cancer check annually, and more frequently for those at higher risk. Keep an eye on moles, especially those that change in size, border, color and elevation.
Hilary Douglass is a Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Florida-licensed aesthetician who provides skin care, laser and IPL services at York Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Center, the offices of Sarah W. Holland, M.D. She holds a BA in journalism and has written health and wellness articles for over 15 years. For more information, please call 207.351-3001 or visit our website at www.yorkps.com.
