Princess Health and Many Americans still don't use sunscreen, which has been proven to prevent skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S..Princessiccia

Princess Health and Many Americans still don't use sunscreen, which has been proven to prevent skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S..Princessiccia

dermatology prevention research skin cancer

Gusty 11:22 Add Comment

Sunscreen has been proven to reduce the risk for all types of skin cancer and to prevent or delay signs of aging, but most Americans still don't use it regularly, according to a new study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found that only 14 percent of men and 30 percent of women regularly use sunscreen both on their face and other exposed areas. It also showed that more than 40 percent of men and 27 percent of women never use sunscreen on their face or other areas of exposed skin when outdoors for an hour or more, Carrie Myers reports for HealthDay News.

"The overwhelming majority of melanomas -- the deadliest form of skin cancer -- and non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun," Dr. Deborah Sarnoff, senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, told Myers. "That's why daily sun protection is critical," she said.

The foundation recommends that when you are out in the sun you should seek shade, wear protective clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat, wear UV-blocking sunglasses and wear a broad-spectrum daily sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher and is water-resistant,of which you should check the expiration date, Sarnoff told Myers.

The study also found that nearly 40 percent of sunscreen users didn't know whether their sunscreen provided broad-spectrum protection.

"Broad-spectrum means that the sunscreen protects the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are responsible for sunburns, while UVA rays go deeper into the skin, causing sagging and wrinkling. It is believed that both UVA and UVB rays play a role in skin cancer," Myers writes.

"To take advantage of the full protection your sunscreen offers, it should be applied thickly to all exposed skin and reapplied every two hours and after swimming, sweating, and toweling off," Dawn Holman, lead author of the study, told Myers. "Sunscreen is most effective when paired with other forms of sun protection."

Holman recommended products with physical blocks, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, for those who shy away from sunscreens because they fear the chemicals in them. She also told Myers that everyone should avoid midday sun exposure because that is when the UV rays are most intense and encouraged people to check the UV index before going outdoors, saying, "The higher the UV index, the more sun protection you will need."

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, according to the CDC. The most severe form, melanoma, causes more than 9,000 deaths a year in the United States, Myers reports.

Princess Health and Princess Health andFDA issues warning label for tanning bed use by minors; sponsor of bill for a state ban says he will try again.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andFDA issues warning label for tanning bed use by minors; sponsor of bill for a state ban says he will try again.Princessiccia

dermatology General Assembly legislation legislature skin cancer state government youth

Gusty 09:18 Add Comment

Soon tanning beds will have a "black box" warning that those younger than 18 should not be using them, but some doctors, tanning companies and legislators do not think this will be sufficient to keep minors from tanning. "Consequently, some want a new Kentucky law prohibiting bed use by minors," Annie Garau writes for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Lexington Herald-Leader graphic

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced May 29 new regulations that moved sunlamps from the category of low-risk devices�like dental floss and tongue depressors�to moderate-risk devices. Tanning beds are dangerous because they emit ultraviolet rays like the ones from the sun. These ultraviolet rays not only cause wrinkles and eye damage but also cause skin cancers, including melanoma, which is the most deadly kind of skin cancer, according to the FDA and local doctors.

"There's really no way to get a tan right now without incurring the risk of cancer," said Dr. John D'Orzio, a researcher and pediatric oncologist at Kentucky Children's Hospital. "I don't want to tell people not to go outdoors at all because that would be ridiculous, but the actual ultraviolet radiation from the beds can be up to 10 times more than from standing in the sun." D'Orazio said his biggest concern is that children under 18 have access to the tanning beds. Currently Kentucky only requires "signed parental consent for teens ages 14 to 17 and in-person parental consent for anyone younger than 14," Garau writes.

Mark Wells and Cheryl Ledford, co-owners of Southern Rays Tanning, do not think the new warnings will turn customers away. "There has always been some kind of warning on the beds," Ledford said, "and they haven't stopped people from tanning."

Wells said there are health benefits to tanning, such as increased Vitamin D, the fading of acne and getting a "base tan" indoors to prevent burning outside. D'Orazio disagreed. "A base tan is not going to help you avoid the risks," he said. "You're still getting ultraviolet radiation while you're getting that base tan. Also, it really only takes about one minute of standing in the sun to get enough vitamin D. . . . This is a multibillion-dollar industry. That's a lot of money going into downplaying the negative consequences."

American Academy of Dermatology President Dr. Brett Coldiron said that although sometimes dermatologists prescribe phototherapy as a treatment, "The difference between phototherapy and indoor tanning is that phototherapy is closely monitored and supervised by a dermatologist. This type of medical care isn't provided at an indoor tanning salon, where operators have minimal knowledge about the potential side effects of UV light, and tanning bed lamps have variable amounts of UVA and UVB light."

State Rep. David Watkins, a Democrat and retired physician from Henderson, wanted to prevent Kentucky minors from using tanning beds without a medical prescription, but the Senate Health and Welfare Committee killed his House-passed bill. "I think I'm going to have to work a little harder and make sure my colleagues in the Senate understand that I'm not trying to limit freedoms," Watkins told Garau. "I'm trying to protect some of our most vulnerable constituents." (Read more)

Princess Health and Princess Health andSeason has arrived for poison ivy, oak and sumac; here's plenty of advice on how to deal with them and their rashes.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andSeason has arrived for poison ivy, oak and sumac; here's plenty of advice on how to deal with them and their rashes.Princessiccia

dermatology skin care

Gusty 19:43 Add Comment

Leaves of three, let them be.

This old childhood rhyme still holds true today,well at least for poison oak and poison ivy. Poison sumac has seven to 13 leaflets on each leaf. But the result is the same: If you come into contact with the oil from their leaves, you are likely to end up with a an itchy rash that can last from one to three weeks.

About 85 percent of people will develop an itchy, blistering rash when they come in contact with the oil from these plants, says the American Academy of Dermatology in a news release.

The rash itself isn't contagious, but the oil is, and it can linger on just about any surface: skin, clothes, under fingernails, tools, pets -- you get the picture. It can even come through the air if someone is burning brush. So, you can get poison ivy, poison sumac or poison oak without stepping one foot into nature.
Avoiding the plants and wearing protective clothing are the two proven ways to avoid getting a rash from these plants.

�If you are absolutely certain that your rash is due to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, and if the rash appears on a small section of your skin, you may be able to treat the rash at home,� Seemal R. Desai, dermatologist from Texas, said in the news release. �However, if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, you experience swelling, or you have many rashes or blisters, go to the emergency room right away.�

The association also recommends going to the emergency room if the rash covers most of your body, if your eyelid swells shut, if the rash develops anywhere on your face or genitals, if much of your skin itches, or nothing seems to ease the itch.

Fortunately, there are simple steps people can take to safely treat a mild rash at home. Here are the association's recommendations for treating mild cases of poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac:

1. Immediately rinse your skin with lukewarm, soapy water. Initially take a shower, not a bath, to get the oil off of your body.
2. Wash your clothing.
3. Wash everything that may have come in contact with the oil from the leaves.
4. Do not scratch. Scratching can cause infection.
5. Leave blisters alone. If blisters open, do not remove the overlying skin, as the skin can protect the raw wound underneath and prevent infection.
6. Take short, lukewarm baths to relieve the itch. Add colloidal oatmeal from the drugstore or one cup of baking soda to the running water for additional relief.
7. Consider using calamine lotion or hydro-cortisone cream.
8. Apply cool compresses to the itchy skin.
9. Consider taking antihistamine pills. These pills can help reduce itching, however use with caution. Call your doctor if you are uncertain if you should take an antihistamine.
10. Do not apply a topical antihistamine to your skin; doing so can worsen the rash and the itch.
11. See a dermatologist if the rash has not improved within 10 days.