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DuBois Regional Medical Center
Contact: Ali Prescott (814)375-3494
For release: June 20, 2010
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles your chances of developing
melanoma later in life, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
“More education needs to be done,” said Dr. Naehal Marra, pediatrician at Gateway Area
Medical Associates of DuBois Regional Medical Center. Her practice promotes sun
safety because people can have the “It won’t happen to me” attitude. She also said that
people can be lax at some times because of the Pennsylvania seasonal weather.
One American dies every hour from skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form
of cancer in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute, and it can easily be
prevented in early childhood if the proper steps are taken.
Skin cancer is caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays, or UV rays. UV rays are a type of
radiation that is invisible to the eye that comes from the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds.
The UV rays reach the skin’s inner layer and cause it to create more melanin, the pigment
that colors the skin. The melanin becomes visible as a tan. A tan is skin cells’ way of
signalling that they have been damaged. Skin can be damaged in just 15 minutes of
exposure, and it can take up to 12 hours for skin to show the full effects of sun exposure.
The two most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinomas, which occur in the
top layer of skin in the basal cells, and squamous cell carcinomas, which occur in the
upper layers of skin in the squamous cells. Both types are highly curable. However, there
is a third type, melanoma, which can result in death and is very dangerous, especially in
young people.
There are ways to prevent skin cancer in early childhood, which is when most of one’s
lifetime sun exposure occurs. A person’s risk to get skin cancer is related to the amount
of UV radiation they have been exposed to over their lifetime, according the National
Cancer Institute. That means the more exposure without protection in youth, the more of
a risk of skin cancer there is later. Though most skin cancer appears after the age of 50, it
can appear earlier in life if one has been exposed to higher levels of UV radiation.
To help parents do the right thing for now and for later in life, Marra gives some helpful
advice.
“One of the most common mistakes parents make with sun safety is not knowing that
their child can get just as burned on overcast days,” Marra said. Children still need
protection on cloudy days because clouds only filter UV rays, they do not block them..
“The second most common mistake is not applying sunscreen early enough. They should
apply it about 30 minutes before being exposed to the sun,” she said.
“The third most common mistake is not reapplying sunscreen often enough when outside
for an extended period of time.”
It’s not just the outside UV that parents should worry about. “One of the most common
myths when it comes to tanning is you can’t get skin cancer from a tanning bed,” said
Marra. “I see too many teenagers coming in ‘bronzed’ from the tanning bed, just in time
for prom.”
There are other ways to decrease exposure, too. Plant trees and canopies that provide
shade for the children. An umbrella also comes in handy as a shade provider. Have
children wear clothing that will protect them, like a T-shirt and long shorts. It would also
be beneficial to have children wear sunglasses and hats outside, along with sunscreen of
at least sun protection factor, or SPF 15. Sending children to school with these items is
also beneficial, especially if they are taken outside for recess at a time when sun exposure
is high.
There are several other factors that increase a child’s risk for getting skin cancer as an
adult. If there is a personal or family history of skin cancer, then a child is more likely to
get the disease. Children with a lighter, natural skin color or skin that freckles, burns or
reddens easily are also at higher risk. Children with blonde or red hair need increased
sun protection as well as children with blue or green eyes. If a child has a history of
sunburns in his or her early life or a large number of moles they are also at a higher risk
of getting skin cancer, said the CDC.
“I remind my patients that even as early as March and April it is important to apply
sunscreen,” said Marra.
People should minimize exposure to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and
should follow the UV index, which is a forecast of the risk of overexposure to UV rays
said the CDC. The UV Index was developed by the National Weather Service and
Environmental Protection Agency. The risk of overexposure to UV rays is determined
low to high risk level and on higher risk to exposure days, parents should take extra
precautions in keeping their children safe. The UV Index is accessible at
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html.