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PLAYING IT SAFE IN THE SUN
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It pays to play it safe in the sun.and the stakes are big.
The sooner children learn this, the better they will be in the long run. "A
sunburn may be the most obvious consequence of getting too much sun, but it could
be the least of the problems that results," says Joshua L.
Fox, M.D., a dermatologist
at North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove. "Excessive unprotected exposure
to the sun's rays (ultraviolet radiation-UVR) may be linked to the future development
of melanoma and other types of skin cancer, and also leads to premature aging of
the skin-early wrinkles and sagging and unattractive spots and discoloration." |
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Sun statistics:
. Unprotected skin can be harmed by UVR in just 15 minutes.
. The risk of developing melanoma and other types of skin
cancer is related to the cumulative amount of UVR a person receives. |
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Teach your children The
value of good health habits now and for life
While children may not be the most captive
audience, they stand to gain the most from practicing proper sun protection habits. It's estimated that at least 60 percent of lifetime exposure to the sun occurs by
age 18 years. "Not only is cumulative sun exposure associated with development
of melanoma and non melanoma skin cancers, but just one or two severe blistering
sunburns in childhood or adolescence may increase the risk for melanoma in adulthood,"
notes Michael Dannenberg, M.D., Chief of the Division of
Dermatology at Huntington
Hospital. "Melanoma, the most serious cancer that occurs in the skin, is very
dangerous. And, disturbingly, its incidence has been increasing rapidly-among
young adults, too."
But here's the bright side: Skin cancer is preventable.
There are effective and easy ways to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays.
And you and your family do not have to shun the sun entirely or miss out on a beautiful
summer day. |
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