Skin and Sun Safety
Skin and Sun Safety
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. The two most common skin cancers (basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas) are highly curable but can be disfiguring and costly. Melanoma (the third most common skin cancer) may be deadly. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from a tanning device can cause dangerous, lasting damage to your skin.
General Risk Factors for Skin Cancer
- Light skin or skin that burns, freckles, or reddens easily (but skin of all colors can get skin cancer).
- Large number of moles.
- Personal or family history of skin cancer.
- History of sun exposure (skin damage is cumulative!).
- History of sunburns, especially in early life.
- History of indoor tanning. The average tanning bed gives of 2–10 times more UVA radiation than the sun. Using tanning beds before the age of 35 increases a person's risk for developing melanoma by 75%.
Skin Cancer in People of Color
Even if you have a darker skin tone, always tan or rarely burn, you can still get skin cancer. Skin cancer is often diagnosed later in people of color, making it harder to treat. Melanoma in people of color most often occurs on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, under the nail (subungual) and in the nail areas. No matter your skin tone, UV radiation can lead to skin damage, premature aging, and hyperpigmentation. Protecting your skin is important!
Sun Exposure Prevention and Treatment
Tanned skin is damaged skin. Having a “base tan” doesn’t provide any added protection from the sun. You should always use sun protection when you’re outdoors. There is no safe level of ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure.
Protect yourself from UV exposure outside by using a multilayered approach with sunscreen and wearing protective clothing, sunglasses and hats.
Intermittent sunburn is the main cause of basal cell, squamous cell carcinomas and melanoma. You can get photo-aged damage long before you get pink or sunburned. Over-exposure early in life may lead to skin cancers later in life.
Sunscreens
These work by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun's rays on the skin and are not meant to allow you to spend more time in the sun than you otherwise would.
SPF number is the ratio of minimal UV dose required to produce redness with and without sunscreen.
Broad spectrum sunscreens reflect both UVA and UVB rays and do a better job of protecting skin.
Check for an expiration date, but if one is not visible, shelf life is no greater than three years.
Cosmetics and lip protectors must be 15 SPF to be protective.
The average user of sunscreen tends to use significantly less than the amount required to achieve the SPF listed on the container. One ounce (approximately a palm full) is needed for complete coverage.
Sunscreens work immediately upon application. The reason to apply 15 minutes early is to allow absorption so it’s less likely to wash off.
Increase exposure to the sun gradually for no more than 20 minutes at a time initially.
Reapply sunscreen as needed after swimming, sweating or towel drying, and during peak sun hours. Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
Remember to apply sunscreen to the back of the neck, tops of your feet and tops of ears.
Avoid the sun during the middle of the day, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the atmosphere absorbs less of the harmful UV rays of sunlight than earlier or later in the day. Stay in the shade if possible.
People with pale skin and/or red hair should take special care in the sun.
Remember that you can burn even when swimming or snorkeling, as well as at high altitudes, in the snow or at sea.
Sun-Protective Clothing
Clothing offers another way to protect skin.
- Wear tighter-weave clothes.
- Look for the UPF value label; the greater the number, the more protection.
- Hats should provide shade for the head and neck and should have a brim all the way around. If wearing a baseball cap, apply sunscreen on ears and back of the neck.
Sunglasses
- Protect eyes from UV rays.
- Protect tender skin around eyes.
- Protection is best if glasses block both UVA and UVB rays (most sold in U.S. meet that standard).
- Wrap-around glasses work best.
Other Ways to Prevent UV Light Exposure
The majority of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and can be prevented with sun safety practices.
Seek Shade
- Find shade under a dense tree canopy, shade sail, or pavilion
- Carry a sun umbrella for personal shade
- Use a pop-up UV shelter when at the beach or park
- Whenever possible, stay out of the sun from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. when UV radiation is the strongest
Check the UV Index - Know Before You Go!
- The UV index can be found in most weather apps and also on weather.com
- Dermatologists recommend sun protection when the UV index is 3 and above
- As levels approach six and above, it’s best to limit your time in the sun
Overexposure
Overexposure to the sun in a hot and humid climate can lead to heat exhaustion. Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest hours and make sure to drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids to balance the loss of body fluids through perspiration. Be aware that alcohol consumption can make you dehydrated.
Treating a Sunburn
- Cool it. A cool shower or bath, or the application of towels soaked in cool water, can minimize damage to the sunburned skin and make you more comfortable, as can some over-the-counter lotions and anesthetic sprays for sunburns. Ordinary over-the-counter-medicines that reduce pain and inflammation, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can help too.
- Protect the burn from more damage. Sun protection factor (SPF) 30 sunscreen—or, better yet, clothes—keeps the sun from wreaking more havoc on skin that has already been burned.
- Most sunburns are first-degree burns, which is damage to the top layer of skin. These burns are painful but usually don’t require medical attention. However, for a second-degree burn—a burn that blisters— the damage is deeper. You can still treat a small second-degree burn yourself by cooling and protecting it, but check with a health care provider about a blistering sunburn to a large area of your body.
- If you have blisters, don’t break them open. Sometimes they open up by themselves, but it’s a bad idea to open them up before their time because they can get infected. If you have blisters on an area that’s likely to get rubbed and irritated by your clothes, you might also want to cover the blisters with a padded bandage. Antibacterial cream may also be used on open blisters.
ABCDEs of Melanoma
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. When detected early, melanoma is highly treatable. Know your skin. Perform a self-exam each month. You can even ask a partner or friend to look at your back and scalp. If you see any of these warning signs, show them to your provider right away.
Asymmetry: Moles that have an asymmetrical appearance
Border: A mole that has blurry and/or jagged edges
Color: A mole that has more than one color
Diameter: Moles with a diameter larger than a pencil eraser (6 mm or 1/4 inch)
Evolution: A mole that has gone through changes in size, shape, or color
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more? Check out the following resources:
- Skin Cancer Foundation
- Skin Cancer Prevention (American Academy of Dermatology)
- Dangers of Indoor Tanning (American Academy of Dermatology)
- Preventing Melanoma (Melanoma Research Foundation)
- Sun Safety (Centers for Disease Control)
- Your Skin is In (Impact Melanoma)
- Skin Smart Campus
Skin Smart Campus
The University of Delaware has been recognized as a Skin Smart Campus by The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. Ensuring the well-being of our students, we are providing a safe and healthy learning and living environment on and off campus, pledging to keep indoor tanning devices off our campus and our affiliated buildings. We also promote skin cancer prevention policies and education.
The Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus Initiative is sponsored by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention in response to the 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer which concluded that there is a strong association between increased risk of skin cancer and indoor tanning use. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure from indoor tanning is completely avoidable which allows for interventions to help reduce skin-cancer related illness and deaths. Numerous studies have found that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with melanoma as one of the most common cancers diagnosed among young adults. According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group, the use of indoor tanning facilities before the age of 35 increases the risk for melanoma by 75 percent.
