Who needs skin protection?

EVERYONE!  No matter what your age or skin color, or whether it's summer or winter, you need to protect yourself from the sun. Your skin is an excellent record keeper. Every moment in the sun adds up, accumulating like money in the bank. The payoff, however, is damage to the skin and possibly skin cancer.

One in six Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in life. At least 90% of these cancers result from long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Sunlight is also responsible for wrinkles, blotching, drying and leathering of the skin, making you look old before your time. The best defense, now and for the future, is to limit time in the sun and protect yourself whenever you go outdoors.

TIPS FOR USING A SUNSCREEN

1. Test your sunscreen on a small patch of skin to see if any irritation occurs. Sunscreens differ in the types and concentrations of ingredients used.

2. For young children, use a milky lotion or cream. These formulations are more soothing than clear lotions, which may contain alcohol.

3. Apply carefully around the eyes, avoiding the upper and lower eyelids. Children tend to rub their eyes, and some sunscreen products can be irritating.

4. For teens with acne, consult a doctor for a sunscreen that won't cause the condition to flare up.

5. Use a sunscreen stick or lip balm for areas such as the lips, scalp, nose and ears. Zinc oxide can also be used on these areas.

6. Apply the sunscreen liberally on all uncovered areas, except the eyes.

7. Apply the sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going out. The extra time allows the active ingredients to sink into the skin. Reapply frequently - every 60 to 90 minutes.

8. Choose a water-resistant or waterproof product if you or your child will be in the water or perspiring heavily. Again, reapply often.

SKIN CANCER FACTS

1. Skin cancer accounts for about one third of all reported malignancies in the U.S.

2. More than one third of all Americans over 65 will get skin cancer at least once in their lifetime.

3. Malignant melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer, is beginning to occur at an especially high rate in women under 40.

4. More than 90 percent of all basal and squamous cell carcinomas are thought to be caused by overexposure to the sun.

Here comes the Sun...

The next time you think of going out in the sun unprotected, consider this: the sun gives off three types of harmful ultraviolet rays. They are:

UV-A (Ultraviolet A) These rays penetrate deep into the skin, gradually destroying its elasticity, causing premature aging and contributing to skin cancer.

UV-B (Ultraviolet B) These rays can cause unprotected skin to burn and are thought to be the primary cause of skin cancer.

UV-C (Ultraviolet C) These rays are deadly to plant and animal life. The ozone layer protects the earth by absorbing UV-C rays. But with the ozone layer thinning, we may be exposed to more UV-C rays in the future, possibly contributing to an increase in skin cancer and eye damage.

There are approximately 700,000 new skin cancer cases per year diagnosed in the United States, and an estimated 9,100 number of deaths annually.

Summer means longer, warmer days and more time spent outdoors. With those pleasures, unfortunately, comes an increased risk of skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology predicts that American physicians will diagnose over a million cases of skin cancer this year, with the most serious type, malignant melanoma, expected to kill over 7,500 people. That means that the incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing at a greater rate than any other cancer, and translates into one American dying every hour from the disease.

"Everybody sensed the risk was rising rapidly, but seeing the numbers is a little frightening," says Dr. Jay Mendelson, associate professor of dermatology at University Medical School.

A report Mendelson delivered to the Academy of Dermatology, based on data from hospital tumor registries nationwide, offers the most comprehensive analysis of just how common the disease has become. In 1930, the risk of developing melanoma for Americans was just 1 in 1,500. That rose to 1 in 250 by 1980. If current rates continue, Mendelson says, by the year 2000 the lifetime risk will be 1 in 75.

Doctors have warned for years about the rising rate of melanoma. It is the fifth most common cancer in the United States--behind lung, breast, colon, and prostate cancers. "There's a delay of 10 to 20 years from the time of damage by exposure to the sun to the time we see melanomas, so the increases we're seeing today are due to what people did in the 1970s and '80s," says Mendelson. "We're hoping as people become more aware we'll see those rates begin to level off." Although 80 to 90 percent of the sun-related damage that can lead to melanoma occurs prior to age 18, the peak age for developing the disease is 45 to 60.