The Skin Cancer Foundation is an international organization which focuses solely on education, prevention, detection, early treatment and prompt treatment of skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation was established in 1979 and has been a leader in promoting the use of sunscreen for protection of UV rays and the harm they present. In its 37 years of existence, the foundation has funded nearly 100 pilot research and clinical studies. Through their funded research, the foundation has established guidelines for sun protection including both clothes and sunscreen use. Their guidelines on sunscreen use are to use SPF 15 or higher every day outdoor work is done and if swimming or doing long outdoor activity, SPF 30 or higher is recommended. Through the research, they also found the difference between UVA and UVB rays. This is important to understand when determining which sunscreen protects against which rays. The website completely breaks down a typical sunscreen label in order to help the consumer to understand it in Laymen’s terms. The website also breaks down how to pick a sunscreen based on one’s skin type (i.e. dry skin, children, dark skin tone, etc). The Skin Cancer Foundation has a plethora of information and resources about the use of sunscreen.
This video provides a background education about how the sun’s UVA and UVB rays are harmful to the skin. It also is informative about which sunscreen to use to block said rays as well as information regarding which sunscreen to use if one has dry skin. There are a plethora of sunscreen on the market available to consumers, this resource provides an explanation of which ingredients to look for when viewing a sunscreen bottle. Many people assume the only important number on the sunscreen bottle is the SPF value. The problem with only reading this number is SPF is an indication of protection from UVB rays. The consumer should also meticulously look at the label to find the PA value. This value explains UVA protection, which is the most harmful ray to underlying skin cells. There is an overabundance of sunscreen videos available on the internet, this is just a simple complete explanation to the importance of sunscreen.
Van Der Pols, J., Williams, G., Pandeya, N., Logan, V., & Green, A. (2006). Prolonged Prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin by Regular Sunscreen Use. American Association for Cancer Research. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
The above article theorized there would be a decrease in squamous cell carcinomas (not basal cell carcinomas) with daily application of sunscreen. There was a 4.5 year trial for sunscreen use in Australia. This group of researchers continued this study in order to determine the prolonged benefits of daily sunscreen use. The participants were given a full skin screen by a Dermatologist every two years during the original study and continued after the initial study concluded. The participants were randomly split into two groups. One group was advised to wear sunscreen of strength of SPF 15 every day and the other was told to use sunscreen at their own discretion, which included no use in some. The two groups received questionnaires to fill out about skin health, illness, daily outdoor time, among others. Not all of the subjects (59%) continued to fill out questionnaires after the original trial, the remaining were monitored for skin cancer via pathology records only. After eight years (original study plus follow-up), researchers found tumor incidence of squamous cell carcinoma down 38% and squamous cell carcinoma incidence down 35% in the sunscreen treatment group. These findings are extremely important. The author did have some criticisms however, the biggest concern was the type of sunscreen used. With the only restriction to everyday sunscreen use being it only had to be 15 SPF leaves a pretty large gap in the research. There was no minimum PA value (UVA protection), which although generally attributed to basal cell carcinoma, still leaves gaps yet to fill. With this knowledge, the overall number of people with squamous cell carcinoma if sunscreen is used daily.
Following the UV index for one’s area or town used to be difficult, especially if in a rural area. Like almost everything else in the 21st century, there is an application for that. Above is a link to download a UV ray application which is able to give a UV value anywhere in the United States. This app more easily allows users to monitor UV levels. This is an excellent application for parents to have. Education along with this application make it easy for parents to know when to wear sunscreen and how often to reapply for them and their family.
The Internet said sunscreen can cause cancer…?
There is a lot of information on the internet and as we all know, not all of it can be trusted. There are rumors floating around that wearing sunscreen causes cancer because of the chemicals it contains. The main basis used for this argument is, “people have been living outside for thousands of years, why are skin cancer rates increasing so much since sunscreen came out?” Skin cancer has been around as long as we know. There are a variety of factors which have changed since sunscreen first came out. The largest factor scientists attribute this to is the thinning ozone layer. As the ozone layer this, more and more harmful UV rays penetrate Earth’s atmosphere. Other aspects of life which have changed which can also be attributed to the rise in skin cancer rates such as the increasing popularity of tanning booths or showing more skin because of modern fashion. When reading information on the internet it is important to fact check it with a scholarly resource. In the link below, dermatologist expert Francesca Fruso tackles the question.
Safety On Sunscreen 