Enjoy the Sunshine, Safely - Steps You Can Take to Prevent Skin Cancer

Skin cancers are the most common types of cancer in the United States, at over 3 million new cases per year.¹ Fortunately, most of these cancers are nonmelanoma skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. These types are much more common, but far less deadly than melanoma. Invasive melanoma represents only about 2% of all skin cancer cases, but it is responsible for 80% of the deaths from skin cancer.¹ 

The major risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet or “UV” radiation.² UV exposure causes skin cancer by damaging the DNA of skin cells.³ Most UV radiation exposure is from the sun, but people who use tanning beds are also exposed to this risk.⁴  

It is believed that exposure to UV radiation as a child or adolescent represents the strongest connection to skin cancer.⁵ Also, people with fair skin types are at an increased risk.⁶ This means having pale skin, freckles, light hair color or eye color, or just being a person that suffers from sunburns easily. 

There are other factors that increase the risk of skin cancer, such as family history, having a large quantity of moles, especially atypical moles, or being immunocompromised.⁶ But the goals of behavioral intervention are mostly to be wary of UV radiation and to protect themselves accordingly.

The target group for these recommendations are those for whom the behavioral interventions will be the most beneficial. This is why people aged 24 and under are targeted, especially if they have fair skin types.⁵ There’s less evidence that counseling people older than 24 is as impactful, but prevention of exposure to UV radiation is nonetheless important to them as well.

So that brings us to the most important part of this topic, which is actually talking about what you need to do to protect yourself.

1. Wear sunscreen. Make sure that it has a sun protection factor of 15 or greater to help prevent damage from UV radiation. If you know you’re going to be exposed to the sun, apply at least SPF 15 sunscreen before exposure, and reapply at least every two hours. Not only does this help decrease the risk of skin cancer, it also helps prevent early skin aging by avoiding some damage.
2. Wear hats or other sun-protective clothing, and sunglasses to protect that specialized skin on your eyes. Sun protective clothing is good for babies under the age of 6 months, as there is a general belief that topical sunscreen use with infants should be avoided. Babies have sensitive skin that is very susceptible to burning, so avoiding UV radiation exposure is a must.
3. Avoid using tanning beds. This is a challenging conversation to have sometimes. Some people really love using tanning beds. But they do expose you to UV light, and put you at increased risk for skin cancer.
4. Trying to avoid sun exposure when it is most direct during mid-day hours, around 10 AM to 4 PM. Seeking shade during this time frame is a smart decision to avoid direct exposure. 

There you have it! Most of this is about being wary of the risk, I am taking common sense measures to avoid it. This is important for everyone, but especially for individuals under the age of 24, and for those with fair skin types who experience sunburn or sun damage more easily.

Please pass this article on to spread the information about behavioral interventions to decrease the risk of skin cancer.

Resources:

1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2017. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/basal-and-squamous-cell-skin-cancer/about/key-statistics. Accessed 11/20/2020.
2. American Cancer Society. About basal and squamous cell skin cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/basal-and-squamous-cell-skin-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html. Accessed 11/20/2020. 
3. International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monograph on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Vol 100. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization Press; 2012.
4. US Food and Drug Administration. Indoor tanning: the risks of ultraviolet rays. https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers /ConsumerUpdates/ucm186687.htm. Accessed 11/20/2020.
5. US Preventive Services Task Force, Grossman DC, Curry SJ et al. Behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA 2018; 319: 1134– 1142.
6. Centers for Disease Control. Skin cancer: what are the risks for skin cancer? https://www.cdc.gov /cancer/skin/basic_info/risk_factors.htm. Accessed 11/20/2020.
7. US Food and Drug Administration. Sunscreen: how to help protect your skin from the sun. https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou /Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely /UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines /ucm239463.htm. Accessed 11/20/2020.