Let’s Talk about…. Tanning

Tanning Beds, the ol’ Fashioned Way, Pills, and More!

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Has Anyone in Your Family

Had Cancer?• How did you feel?

• How did your family feel?

• What if you get sick?– How would your family

feel?– Think about how much

money it would cost.

You’re Getting Older• More responsibilities

– more decisions – more “peer pressure”

• Your skin shouldn’t be older than you are! Tanning causes:– aging – wrinkles – loss of skin elasticity – dark patches called "age spots" or

"liver spots"– cancer

Tanning Beds Cause Cancer

• Using a tanning bed increases your risk of two of the most common forms of skin cancer.– You’re 2.5 times more likely

to develop squamous cell carcinoma than people who do not use tanning beds.

– You’re 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma compared to those who do not use the devices, and you can even get melanoma, a deadlier form of skin cancer.

Squamos Cell Carcinoma• Accounts for about 2 out of 10

skin cancers• Usually appears on the body in

places such as:– Face– Ear– Neck– Lips– Backs of the hands– Scars or skin ulcers elsewhere on

the body– Genital area

• More likely to invade tissues beneath the skin, and slightly more likely to spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body.

Basal Cell Carcinoma• About 3 out of 4 skin cancers are basal

cell carcinomas.• Usually appears on:

– Head – Neck

• Being seen in younger people– Spending more time in the sun with their

skin exposed

• Grows slowly• If it is not treated:

– Grows into nearby areas– Invades the bone or other tissues beneath

the skin

• After treatment:– Can come back within 5 years anywhere on

skin

Melanomas• Often a more deadly form of skin

cancer • Often appears on the trunk of fair-

skinned men and on the lower legs of fair-skinned women. Other areas include:– hands,– soles of the feet, and– under the nails.

• Much more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

• Having darkly pigmented skin lowers your risk, but it is not a guarantee that you will not develop melanoma.

Let’s Think Ahead

• The good news is that there is a lot you can do to protect yourself from skin cancer.

• You know what causes skin cancer:– Too much exposure to the

sun’s ultraviolet rays – Artificial sources, such as

tanning beds

Limit Your Exposure to UV, and

Limit Your Chances for Cancer• Cover up.

– Choose shirts and pants to protect as much skin as possible.

• Use sunscreen. – Choose a sunscreen with a Sun

Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

• Wear a hat. – Choose a hat that shades the face, neck,

and ears.

• Wear sunglasses. – Protect your eyes with sunglasses that

block UV rays.

• Limit sun exposure. – Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and

4 p.m. when the UV rays are strongest.

Cover It Up!• Wear clothing to protect as much

skin as possible. • Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, or

long skirts are the most protective. • Dark colors provide more protection

than light colors.– Prevents more UV rays from reaching

your skin.

• A tightly woven fabric provides greater protection than loosely woven clothing. – If you can see light through a fabric, UV

rays can get through, too.

• Dry fabric is generally more protective than wet fabric.

Buying Sunscreen

• SPF of at least 15

• Sunscreen does not provide total protection. – Reflective surfaces like water, snow, and

sand can actually cause exposure to more UV rays. For high-glare situations, a higher SPF sunscreen or zinc oxide may be used on your nose and lips.

• Read the label before you buy.– Buy "broad-spectrum"

• It protects against UVA and UVB radiation.

Apply Sunscreen Properly• Apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before

going outside. • About one ounce of sunscreen should be

used to cover the arms, legs, neck, and face. – Reapply about every 2 hours.– If swimming or sweating, reapply more often.– Remember that sunscreen usually rubs off

when you towel yourself dry.

• Waterproof sunscreen needs to reapplied at least every 80 minutes, even when swimming or sweating.

• Water-resistant sunscreen needs to reapplied every 40 minutes.

• Sunscreen products expire within 2 to 3 years; throw away old sunscreen!

• Use lip balm with an SPF 15 or higher.

Wear a Hat• A hat with at least a three- to four-inch

brim.– Protects areas often exposed to the sun

• Neck• Ears• Eyes• Forehead• Nose• Scalp

• A shade cap, which looks like a baseball cap with about 7 inches of material draping down the sides and back, is also good.

• A baseball cap provides some protection for the front and top of the head but not the back of the neck or the ears, where skin cancers commonly develop. – Be sure to use sunscreen on those areas.

Wear Sunglasses• Buy sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and

UVB radiation. Read the label! • "UV absorption up to 400 nm“; blocks 100% of UV rays.• “Special purpose" or "Meets ANSI UV Requirements“;

blocks 99% of UV rays• “Cosmetic“; blocks about 70% of UV rays• If there is no label, don't buy the sunglasses! • And remember:

– Darker glasses are not necessarily better because UV protection comes from an invisible chemical applied to the lenses, not from the color or darkness of the lenses.

– Look for an ANSI label. – Large-framed wraparound sunglasses

protect your eyes from all angles.

• Ultraviolet rays are most intense during midday – 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• If you are unsure about the sun's strength, take the shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are very intense. – Plan activities out of the sun during these times. – If you must be outdoors, protect your skin.

• UV radiation also can pass through clouds and water, so don't assume you're safe from UV radiation if it’s overcast or if you're in the water and feeling cool.

• Also, be especially careful on the beach and in the snow because sand, water, and snow reflect sunlight and increase the amount of UV radiation you receive.

Limit Sun Exposure

If You REALLY Need a Tan,Do Safe Sunless Tanning

• Bronzers – Made from color additives– Stain the skin when applied and can be washed off with

soap and water– Chemicals in bronzers may react differently on various

areas of your body, producing a tan of many shades.

• Extenders– Are cosmetics – When applied to the skin, interact with protein on the

surface of the skin to produce color– Wears off after a few days

• Bronzers and Extenders do not offer protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation.

Unsafe Sunless Tanning

• “Tanning pills" – Contain color additives similar to what gives

carrots their orange color. The additives are distributed throughout the body, especially the skin, making it orange.

– Are unsafe because the main ingredient can deposit in the eyes as crystals, which may cause injury and impaired vision.

• Tanning accelerators– Are ineffective and also may be dangerous. – Marketers promote these products as

substances that stimulate the body's own tanning process.

Remember• Anyone can get a sunburn.

– Even people with darker skin

• No tan is healthy.

• Every burn or tan increases your risk for skin cancer in the future.

Think Ahead to Your Future

What if you get skin cancer?

• How will your parents feel?

• What if you’re married?– What will your husband or wife do?– What if you have kids?

• Be smart!

• Don’t be stupid!

Any Questions?

Written by Courtney J. Schoessow, MPH – April 2005