Skin Cancer in Women Rises
Repeated warnings have little effect
Do you intend on getting a healthy tan this summer? You may want to rethink your plans, notes The Society for Women's Health Research, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C.
Tan skin, along with freckles, wrinkles and brown spots, is the body's reaction to sun damage. Unless your tan comes from a bottle, it's probably not healthy.
More than one million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Countless public service announcements and media messages have done nothing to stem the tide.
People in their teens and early 20s are less likely than any other age group to use protection, despite the increasing risk among this demographic, according to recent studies by both the American Academy of Dermatology and the British Association of Dermatologists.
Many young people ignore the risk because they don't see the detrimental effects right away. Cancer often does not show up immediately.
"Most skin cancers take years of cumulative sun exposure to form and reflect sun-worshipping behaviors of years past," says Tanya Futoryan, M.D., the medical director of a dermatology center in New York.
It's not just young people who suffer the negative effects of the sun. It's been only over the last two decades that we've learned, as a society, about the dangers of baking in the rays. Millions of women who spent their childhoods basking in the sun are suffering the consequences as well.
"Although we are better educated now on sun protection, it takes a long time to adapt sunscreen use and sun avoidance into our everyday lives," says Futoryan.
"Every new generation has to be convinced of the dangers of sun damage."
There are three major types of skin cancer. Bad sunburns, which include blistering, increase a person's risk of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Long-term exposure increases the risk of all types of skin cancer, including the less serious: basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinoma.
The diagnosis of skin cancer has increased and melanoma has become the most common cancer among women ages 25 to 29, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
While it's not entirely clear why the risk of skin cancer is skyrocketing in women, there are a few clues. Alarming numbers of young people, mostly female, are using tanning beds in the United States. Study after study suggests that the UV rays in these salons are just as damaging as natural sunlight.
"In young women ages 15 to 29, the torso is the most common location for developing melanoma, which may be due to high-risk tanning behavior," according to Francesco Fusco, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology and an educational spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation.
"This is most likely due to increased UV exposure, which includes natural as well as artificial UV light."
There's strong evidence that young people ignore the threat of skin cancer. Only one in three American teenagers use sunscreen, according to a study conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology.
"While great advances have been made in early detection and prevention of skin cancer, it is important to educate young women about the importance of sun protection in the fight against skin cancer," says Futoryan.
- Here are some tips on how to stay safe:
- Use sunscreen with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection liberally when outdoors.
- Wear sun-protective clothing: hats, longer pants, shirts with sleeves, sarongs and wraps.
- Sport UV-absorbing sunglasses to protect the eyes.
- Seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
In addition to your own monthly skin checks, an annual head-to-toe examination by a dermatologist should be a routine part of your health maintenance.