May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
1. How important is sun safety?
I would like to remind everyone that sun safety is always in season, not just during the summer months. It’s important to protect your skin from sun damage throughout the year, no matter the weather. Exposing your skin to the sun year-round means you are exposing it to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause sunburn, skin aging, eye damage, and skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S.
2. Can you tell us more about the dangers of skin cancer?
Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute estimates there were 100,640 new cases of skin melanomas and 8,290 related deaths in 2024. In 2021, there were an estimated 1.4 million people living with melanoma of the skin in the U.S. Nationally, 6.1 million people are treated annually for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of skin cancer.
3. Those numbers are alarming. What can we do to protect ourselves from becoming one of these statistics?
Sunscreen is one way to protect against the rise in skin cancer rates. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to evaluate sunscreen products to ensure safety and effectiveness. Although all sunscreens help protect people from sunburn, only broad-spectrum sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 helps protect us from skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun.
4. Are tanning beds a better alternative to being exposed to the sun’s rays?
Quite simply, no. I recommend avoiding artificial sources of UV exposure. In fact, indoor tanning, whether using a tanning bed, booth, sunbed, or sunlamp to darken the skin, exposes users to high levels of UV rays.
5. Are there other concerns we should know about indoor tanning?
Indoor tanning exposes users to intense levels of UV rays, a known cause of cancer.
It does not protect against sunburn. A “base tan” is a sign of skin damage.
Indoor tanning can lead to serious injury. Indoor tanning accidents and burns send more than 3,000 people to the emergency room each year.
6. So, one shouldn’t necessarily equate good health with tanned skin?
A tan does not indicate good health. When UV rays reach the skin’s inner layer, the skin makes more melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its color. It moves toward the outer layers of the skin and becomes visible as a tan. Any change in skin color after UV exposure (whether it is a tan or a burn) is a sign of injury, not health.
7. What should new parents know about protecting their infants from the sun?
When you go outdoors with your infant, whether for a quick stroll in the park or a day at the beach, it’s important to keep your little one out of the sun. The FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend keeping newborns and babies younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight. The best sun protection for these infants is to stay in the shade. Look for natural shade, such as under a tree. You can even create your own shade under a beach umbrella, a pop-up tent, or a stroller canopy.
8. Is sunscreen recommended to protect an infant from the sun’s harmful rays?
Not usually. Your infant’s sensitive skin is vulnerable to serious burns. However, sunscreen isn’t the answer, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That’s because infants are at greater risk than adults of sunscreen side effects, such as a rash.
It’s especially important to keep your baby out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest and ultraviolet (UV) rays are most intense. If you do need to be outside in the sun during those times, be sure to take extra precautions. And check with your pediatrician before applying sunscreen to children younger than 6 months.
9. How should infants be dressed to combat the harmful effects of the sun?
I suggest dressing infants in lightweight clothing, such as long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Babies should wear a hat with a brim that shades their neck to prevent sunburn. Baseball caps do not shade the neck or ears, both of which are sensitive areas for a baby. As for fabrics, tight weaves are better than loose ones.
Summer’s heat presents other challenges for babies. Our sweat naturally cools us down when we’re hot. But younger babies don’t sweat like adults do. Their bodies haven’t fully developed that built-in heating-and-cooling system, so they can become easily overheated – and have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated.
10. What’s one aspect of sun safety that our viewers may be overlooking?
Most of us know that too much sun can cause sunburn and skin damage. But did you know that the sun’s ultraviolet rays can also harm your eyes? UV light is invisible. It can’t be seen by the human eye. But it can still damage your vision.
Several eye problems have been linked to UV light as well. These include cataracts, which are cloudy areas in the eye’s lens. Cataracts can make vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful. Excess UV light has also been linked to cancers of the eyelid.
11. How would you recommend that we protect our eyes from the sun?
Wearing sunglasses and a hat is the simplest and safest way to protect your eyes from UV rays. Choose sunglasses that fit well and that block light from coming in around the lenses. Choose a hat with a broad, dark brim that shades your eyes and reduces glare.
Consider staying indoors during parts of the day when the sun is strongest, usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Check your local weather forecast for the UV index, a measure of UV intensity. Be aware that the UV index can be high even on cloudy days.
12. Are there other factors to consider when choosing a pair of sunglasses?
Consider the following factors when choosing sunglasses:
- Lens material. Sunglasses lenses can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic or polycarbonate. By law, retailers must indicate the level of UV protection. Look for lenses that provide 99 to 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB or marked as having a UV400 rating. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulates non-prescription sunglasses as medical devices. It requires that manufacturers and retailers meet minimum requirements for UV protection, lens quality, impact resistance, labeling, and more. Unsure if your sunglasses have UV-blocking lenses? Many optical shops have a device called a photometer to test them.
- Fit. Choose comfort over style when selecting sunglasses frames. They should feel good, stay in place, and cover the skin around your eyes. A good fit will minimize light that enters the eye from the top, bottom, and sides of the lenses.
- Use. Choose sunglasses according to your activity. Activities near water, snow, sand, and other reflective surfaces increase UV exposure by reflecting light. Polarized lenses are good for reducing glare from snow or water. Consider wearing wraparound sunglasses or goggles to protect yourself from intense light or when doing yardwork or other activities that create flying debris.
13. What is melanoma when it comes to skin cancer?
Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that develops in melanocytes, skin cells that produce the pigment that gives skin its color. Melanomas can occur anywhere on the skin but are most often found on the chest and back in men, and on the legs in women. Other common sites include the neck and face. Melanoma is very treatable if caught early but can be fatal if not treated early enough.
14. What are some common signs of skin cancer?
A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. This could be in the form of new growth, a sore that won’t heal, or a change in a mole.
A simple way to remember the warning signs of melanoma is to remember the A-B-C-D-Es of melanoma:
A — Asymmetry: Does the mole/spot have an irregular shape with two parts that look different?
B — Border: Is the border irregular or jagged?
C — Color: Is the color uneven?
D — Diameter: Is the spot larger than the size of a pea?
E — Evolving: Has the spot grown or changed in the past few weeks or months?
15. What are some melanoma risk factors?
- Ultraviolet Light — Exposure to UV rays from sources such as sunlight, tanning beds, and sun lamps can increase risk.
- Moles — Having many moles or atypical moles increases risk.
- Fair Skin, Freckling, and Light Hair — Risk is higher for those with red or blonde hair, blue or green eyes, and/ or fair skin that freckles.
- Age and Sex — Risk of developing melanoma varies by age and sex: risk is higher in women before age 50, while risk is higher for men after age 50.
16. What should you look for in selecting sunscreen?
It is important to read the label carefully to ensure you get the most potential benefit from sunscreen use.
- Only products that pass the FDA’s broad-spectrum requirements, and therefore protect against UVA exposure, can be labeled “broad spectrum.”
Sunscreens that are not broad spectrum or are broad spectrum but lack an SPF of at least 15 must carry a warning: “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.” - Water resistance claims, for 40 or 80 minutes, tell you how much time you can expect to get the labeled SPF-level of protection while swimming or sweating.
- Manufacturers may not make claims that sunscreens are “waterproof” or “sweatproof.”
- Products may not be identified as “sunblocks” or claim instant protection or protection for more than two hours without reapplying.
- Also, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Heather Swiger, RT
Radiation Therapist
Manager of Radiation Oncology
United Hospital Center
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