Related Document: Sun Sense article from Gleaner_03-31-2007 (2).pdf (Reprinted with permission from The Gleaner)
Breakers' temptation to get tan ill-advised
Numerous local Spring Breakers will be hitting the Florida beaches this week, and while Dr. Artis Truett doesn't want to dampen their fun, he does have some advice he hopes they'll heed.
“There's nothing wrong with the color of the skin God gave you," says the dermatologist who practices here and in Owensboro. "You should do everything you can to keep that skin healthy." By "doing everything you can" he means avoiding tanning and burning by routinely using a broad spectrum sunscreen with a protective factor of at least 30 and never, ever deliberately baking the skin.
Truett, a dermatologist for 15 years, said even a light tan is evidence that sun damage has already taken place. There is no such thing, he said, "as a safe tan." He said it amazes him when young patients tell him, "I've got to get a tan so I won't burn in Florida." That, he said, "doesn't make a bit of sense."
He and other doctors with Henderson Dermatology and Owensboro Dermatology are seeing more and more young adults with early skin cancers and visible signs of aging caused by sun damage. "It used to be rare to see a 20-year-old with melanoma," Truett said, referring to the deadliest form of skin cancer. Now, he said, it sadly isn't a rarity,” and there are a number of 20-year-olds with basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas."
He's also seeing people in their early 20s "with wrinkles, brown spots" and other signs of premature skin aging. The damage, he said, is from both unprotected sunning and the use of tanning beds.
What about that recent much-publicized study that indicated some UV radiation is beneficial because it stimulates Vitamin D production in the body and strengthens the immune system?
Truett said he believes data was misrepresented to the public. "You don't have to have a significant amount of sun to get Vitamin D," he said, adding the vitamin can also be provided via supplements or medication. "Most people get all the Vitamin D they need through a normal diet and a small amount of ambient light on a daily basis."
The National Skin Cancer Foundation predicts there likely will be about 1.3 million newly diagnosed cases of skin cancer this year. It can strike most anyone, it's noted, including first Lady Laura Bush, who had a skin cancer tumor removed from her right shin last November.
Truett reminds the public that the sun's damaging effects can take place on a ski slope or in the Midwest or most anywhere else. He and his wife are planning a skiing trip to Canada, he said, and will be taking plenty of strong sunscreen with them.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Academy of Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation offer tips that include the following:
Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin using a product that will protect against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.
Remember the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Protect children from sun exposure by applying sunscreen.
Be aware of sores that aren't healing. Somethimes what appears to be an annoying pimple that won't go away is an early form of skin cancer.
Monitor your moles. Melanoma usually develops in a pre-existing mole. It is important to closely monitor the size, shape, color and number of moles on the skin. Changes should be reported to a doctor. Moles that become asymmetrical, have uneven borders, become larger or change colors should be investigated. In its earliest stages, melanoma is nearly 100 percent curable. If it advances and spreads to other parts of the body, where it becomes harder to treat, it can be fatal.
Know your genes. If there is a history of skin cancer in your family and you have light hair and light eyes, you are at a greater risk for skin cancer and should always protect yourself with sunscreen.
"I'm not encouraging people to stay inside with covered windows," Truett said. "Just try to avoid cooking your skin."
By: Judy Jenkins
The Gleaner
