No, it isn’t to scare the hell out of you, but to make you aware of the typical skin cancer causes that most women ignore. Lying on the beach slathered in baby oil, finishing tube after tube of sunscreen and relaxing to get that tan on your body is typical. But, using daily moisturizers with SPF isn’t doing enough for your skin. Dermatologists advise on seeking shade during the peak sun hours of 10 am to 4 pm – covering face with a clothing and using sunscreen daily. It is a fact that not all people know what exactly should be done to prevent this severe skin problem. But, they must know, what are the causes of skin cancer:
Causes of Skin Cancer:
Not applying enough sunscreen:
For all those who apply sunscreen, they mistake it for a foolproof, magical elixir. An average person does not apply enough sunscreen. Dermatologists have found that people who are struck with skin cancer often don’t know how much spectrum of sunscreen is actually needed to combat the peak sunshine hours.
Prevention:
Know your skin, know which spectrum is suitable for your skin type and go for maximum spectrum sunscreen. Buy sunscreens which are labelled with broad-spectrum. Avoid too much sun, try to find shade or use scarf or summer umbrella to be safe from the direct sunlight.
Not re-applying the sunscreens:
Another reason that doctors believe has become one of the main causes of skin cancer is that patients don’t reapply sunscreen. They have false sense of empowerment coupled with a desire to achieve a moderate tan, which leads to risky sunscreen behaviour. In the beginning of summer, women slather on lots of sunscreen, but with time, they slowly back off in order to get a tan. This leads to skin damage which is irreversible.
Prevention:
In extreme sunny days, reapply sunscreen if it gets washed away with sweat and skip sun tanning to be safe.
Sunscreen doesn’t block UVA radiations:
Until recently, sunscreens only blocked UVB radiation, that turns your skin red. UVA radiations of sun damage your skin, especially DNA damage that leads to skin cancer. Use of older UVB-only formula does not save your skin from harmful sun radiations. When FDA introduced broad spectrum test in 2011, sunscreens for blocking both UVA and UVB effectively came into practice. So, always go for sunscreens which are labelled broad-spectrum, as those sunscreens that aren’t labelled broad-spectrum, refer to UVB protection only and not UVA.
Prevention:
Shop with more awareness, buy sunscreens that have broad-spectrum and refer to UVA protection as well. UVA are the most harmful radiations coming from sun that leads to cancer. Stay protected from it.
Indoor tanning beds:
Some tanning salons claim that tanning beds promote Vitamin D production in the body, which prevents diseases like cancer and diabetes. But, the truth is, there are nearly 419,000 new cases of skin cancer every year that are directly attributable to indoor tanning, according to a study released in JAMA Dermatology last year. The same study found that there are more cases of cancer due to indoor tanning than there are of lung cancer due to smoking. Tanning beds are labelled as one of the main causes of skin cancer and class one carcinogenic after smoking tobacco, by the World Health Organisation. There are no such thing as safe tanning beds. So, avoid that tanning bed now and save yourself from the horror.
Prevention:
If you have an utmost desire to get tanned, instead of going for outdoor sun tanning or tanning beds, go for tanning solutions. Tanning solutions do not pose any serious threat to your life, Idol Tan self tanner is one such solution for that matter. They may be greasy but not harmful.
Dodging the sun entirely, though is not an option, but who doesn’t like to hit a beach to enjoy a day or several. What is important is knowledge, knowing what to do when you are out in the sun for too long, what are the symptoms and knowing which sunscreen is going to protect you. Once, you are aware of what are the causes of skin cancer, it will be easier to enjoy the sun.
