Branson News Guide

UV rays play big role in skin cancer

With temperatures predicted to climb near 90 this week, it’s definitely time to get out the sunscreen, hats and sunglasses. Sun Safety Week runs June 3 through 9 and reminds everyone of the importance of protecting skin against the damaging rays of the sun.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), the most common form of cancer in the United States is skin cancer. Experts believe exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays plays a big role in the development of skin cancer. In fact, most skin cancers are caused by unprotected sun exposure in childhood and adolescence, as 80 percent of a person’s sun exposure occurs before age 21.

Unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes, yet it can take up to 12 hours for skin to show the full effect of sun exposure. So skin that looks a little pink today, may be burned by the next morning,” said Branson Health Director Linn Smith.

Smith offered these tips to prevent sun damage to skin:

* Seek shade, especially during midday hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage.
* Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.
* Get a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
* Grab shades that wrap around and block as close to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
* Apply sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher and that provides both UVA and UVB protection.

“Using sunscreen regularly on children can reduce their risk of skin cancer by almost 78 percent,” Smith said. “Apply it at least 30 minutes before going outdoors, even when it’s cloudy, and reapply every two hours after going into the water.”
While everyone is at risk for skin damage, some people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop skin cancer, especially those with:

* Lighter natural skin color
* Family history of skin cancer
* A personal history of skin cancer
* Exposure to the sun through work and play
* A history of sunburns early in life
* Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun
* Blue or green eyes
* Blonde or red hair
* Certain types and a large number of moles

For more information about sun safety, contact the Branson Health Department or the Taney County Health Department.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 11:24 am and is filed under Branson News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.