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Author:
Anitta Viali

I remember about 20 years ago, all the commercials were praising Coppertone for helping to get sun tan. Now we have gone in another extreme: sun all of a sudden has become an enemy and we all need protection, otherwise we get skin cancer. People are spending billions on buying sun blockers. Let us see, what is the evidence that sun causes skin cancer. As usual, there are some statistics to support it: Southern states have more cases than Northern, white people more often have skin cancer than blacks.

On the other hand, skin cancer often appears on the parts of body, which are never exposed to sun. Less than 10,000 people die from skin cancer in US each year. To place this in proper perspective, people in United States are 10 times more likely to be killed in a hospital due to a medical error or twice as likely to be shot to death by a gun. People are now spending billions on the so-called sun-blockers, trying to save themselves from something, which does not threaten them at all: out of 300 sun-baders, 299 never get skin cancer.

If the sun was really responsible for skin cancer, should not the number be much greater? Last, but not least: if sun were the cause of skin cancer, introduction of sun-blockers would have significantly reduced the cases of skin cancer. It did not.

Anitta Viali is a freelance writer interested in items such as maintaining a healthy skin, and removal solutions for wrinkles and dark eye circles

| Article Keywords: Skin Cancer

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Skin Cancer... Sunburn, UV Overexposure & Skin Cancer: Prevention or Cure? Overexposure to the sun and UV rays is rarely obvious at the time, -- and on many occasions, probably quite unintentional. However repeated exposure has rather more adverse long-term implications for our bodies and our health. We’re all well aware of the more obvious and painful symptoms of sunburn including hot, red, tender skin – which in the case of a more heavy burn can also include blistering, peeling and dehydration. The damage that occurs beneath the skin as a result of sunburn is considerably ‘less obvious’ at the time of exposure, and may in fact take years to produce symptoms visible to the naked eye. The fact that damage caused to skin cells during sunburn can not only accelerate the aging process, but also increase the risk of cataracts and skin cancer, should certainly demand our attention. When faced with the potential risk of having to treat more than just the temporary symptoms and pain of sunburn, doesn’t it make more sense to avoid the risk in the first place? Seek prevention rather than cure! So before you venture out into the sun again, remember these important tips to protect yourself from overexposure of UV rays and sunburn, and its associated risks: 1. Wear protective clothing, including a long-sleeve shirt and a hat. Consider the ‘additional’ protection of an umbrella or shade where appropriate. 2. Avoid sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm if at all possible. 3. Remember that UV rays are present even on cloudy days. 4. Remember that sunlight is strongly reflected from sand, snow, ice, water and concrete, which can intensify your direct sunlight exposure. 5. Apply sunscreen containing a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, at least 15 minutes before going out into the sun. 6. Reapply sunscreen at regular intervals while out in...