NO PLACE IN THE SUN. Young people now are avoiding skin cancer warnings

[Editor-in-Chief]

NO PLACE IN THE SUN

Young people now are avoiding skin cancer warnings

FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 By Shantell M. Kirkendoll
skirkendoll@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6366


Growing up in the 1970s, sunscreen was unheard of, and a tan was an easy-access status symbol of good health.

"With my olive complexion, I could tan easily," said Kim Davis, 51, of Mt. Morris.

During a routine doctor's appointment this year, her physician saw a suspicious mole on Davis' back, a large, elevated, discolored spot that Davis hadn't noticed nor could she feel.

It would turn out to an early sign of skin cancer, one of 1 million cases of skin cancer found this year, a growing number of them among young women.

Most but not all cases are curable, and skin cancer will account for 10,000 deaths in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society.

"It was a scary experience even though it was a slow-growing type that lots of people get," said Davis, whose daughters are more diligent about sun exposure now that skin cancer is part of the family history.

Her daughter's generation hardly is doing better than previous ones, despite public health messages about avoiding sun between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and applying sunscreen.

Skin cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women ages 25-29.

The increase is blamed on a depletion of the ozone layer, which means sun rays that reach us are stronger, and skin never gets a breather with the focus on year-round tans - whether from vacations or tanning beds.

And the idea of a base tan is well, baseless, said Dr. Kimball Silverton, a dermatologist at Silverton Skin Institute.

"People think if they have a base tan then they won't burn," he said. "It only gives an SPF of 2 to 4, which is pretty minimal,"
The American Cancer Society recommends using sunscreen with SPF, or sun protection factor, of 15 or higher; but dermatologists suggest SPF 30 because most people don't put on enough or re-apply.

If found early, skin cancer is highly curable. Surgical procedures are getting more precise, as Silverton and other dermatologists are conserving more of the tissue surrounding problem moles while still getting rid of any microscopic cancer cells.

Anyone is at risk for skin cancer, including African Americans, he said, and parents should be vigilant about how much sun their children are getting.

It's estimated that 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

"If you have five sunburns in a lifetime, it doubles the chance of developing skin cancer," Silverton said.

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