Unlike popular belief, the online survey “Suntelligence: How Sun Smart is Your City?” by the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has suggested that many of us are still living in the world of illusions when it comes to myths and facts about tanning and sun protection.
More than 7,000 adults nationwide took part in a poll; this poll was conducted for determining the levels of knowledge, behavior, and attitude in context of tanning, sun protection, and skin cancer detection.
From Timesofindia.indiatimes.com:
Myth: Some types of ultraviolet (UV) rays are safe for your skin.
The survey found that only about one-third (35 per cent) of respondents correctly answered false to this question.
Fact: Sunlight consists of two types of harmful rays: ultraviolet A (UVA) rays and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVA rays (which pass through window glass) penetrate deeper into the thickest layer of the skin known as the dermis. UVA rays can cause suppression of the immune system, which interferes with the immune system’s ability to protect a person against the development and spread of skin cancer. UVB rays are the sun’s burning rays (which are blocked by window glass) and are the primary cause of sunburn.
“Quite simply, all forms of UV exposure, whether from natural sunlight or artificial light sources found in tanning beds, are unsafe and are the No. 1 preventable risk factor for skin cancer,” said Dr. Draelos.
Myth: Getting a base tan is a healthy way to protect skin from sun damage.
Only 48 per cent of respondents knew this statement was false.
Fact: A tan is a sign of damage to the skin from UV radiation. Every time a person tans, the skin becomes damaged and this damage accumulates over time. This accumulated damage, in addition to accelerating the aging process, also increases a person’s risk for all types of skin cancer.
It is worthwhile to note here that no sunscreen can offer 100 percent protection but things are better with a sunscreen with higher SPF (sun protection factor) than one with a lower SPF.
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Tags: skin cancer detection, sun protection, sun protection factor, sunburn, sunscreen, tanning, UV exposure, UVB rays
