SUNSHINE SAFETY
Spring and summer can be a dangerous time for skin
With longer days, vacations and warmer weather, spring and summer can be a great time to get out and enjoy everything The Natural State has to offer. However, with increased sun exposure, the risks of skin cancer increase. The following are some things to remember about the dangers of sunlight.
RAY OF LIGHT
What makes sunlight so dangerous? Dr. Rhonda W. Gentry, medical director of oncology at CARTI in Little Rock, the sun’s rays are in the form of ultraviolet radiation (UV), which can damage the DNA of the skin cells. If that damage isn’t repaired at the DNA level, she said, a transformation to cancer can occur.
SILVER LINING
While many people think cloudy days are better for getting outside, sun exposure can actually be worse on such days. While it’s true that some of the sun’s UV rays will be blocked by the clouds, many people don’t take the same precautions they would normally take during a clear day.
SIMPLE STEPS
To lessen the effects of the sun, there are some precautions that Gentry recommends. Always use sunscreen, and reapply it often, even on cloudy days. Gentry said sunscreen should be applied 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied at least every two hours and more frequently than that if sweating or getting wet. Umbrellas and other forms of shade only block a portion of UV rays and do not protect against reflected rays from surfaces such as sand. Avoid tanning oils that enhance the effects of UV rays, she said. Wear sunglasses to lessen the harmful effects of UV rays on the eyes. She said the sunglasses should ideally block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. The sunglasses’ label should contain this information. If it isn’t there, assume there is no UV protection, she said.
GET OUT OF BED
Gentry said that while many people think tanning beds are safer than sun exposure, that is simply not true. While tanning beds reduce exposure to UVB rays, UVA rays penetrate deeper into the layers of skin, causing dryness, premature aging and skin cancer. “Tanning bed UV exposure has been linked with an increased incidence of melanoma, especially if initiated prior to the age of 30,” she said.
COOL THE BURN
Sunburn is the most immediate risk of sun exposure. For mild to moderate sunburns, Gentry said topical agents such as aloe-vera-based lotions and gels, cool compresses and calamine lotion can lessen the pain and discomfort. Ibuprofen can also help decrease the symptoms. For more severe burns, hospitalization might be required if symptoms such as fever, nausea and vomiting are experienced.
SKIN DEEP
There are three main types of skin cancer. Each is named for the skin cell of origin. The most dangerous is melanoma. Basal-cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, she said. The third type, squamous-cell carcinoma, develops in the squamous cells, which compose the skin’s upper layers.
KNOW THE SIGNS
There are several warning signs of skin cancer: if you get a new skin lesion that does not resolve itself within several weeks; if you have an existing mole that increases in size or changes color, especially if it becomes black or brown; if you have a mole that is more than one color, including a dark area; if you have a mole or lesion with irregular edges or borders; if you have a mole or lesion with ulceration or bleeding; or if satellite nodules or lesions develop adjacent to the primary lesion. Gentry said skin cancer is very treatable, and early detection offers the highest likelihood of cure from all types of skin cancer. “Even very treatable forms of basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas can be invasive if neglected,” she said. “Melanomas are more serious and much more likely to metastasize (spread) if not treated early. Despite recent treatment advancements with immunotherapy, metastatic melanoma is fatal in the majority of patients.