The following article ran in The Williamson Source on April 18, 2014.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNSCREEN, PART 2
BY ANDREA HINDS
Dr. Jennifer Lee, Medical Director of REN Dermatology in Franklin and Board-certified Dermatologist, continues her discussion on sunscreen facts. If you missed part 1 of this series, click here.
I’m indoors all day for work, I don’t think I need to use sunscreen.
We all get sun exposure on a daily basis, often without realizing it. This can be from brief periods of sun exposure while walking to/from the car in the parking lot, UV rays coming through the windshield and windows while we drive, sitting outside for a nice lunch break, sunshine flowing through a window at our office, or a rainy morning which turns into a sunny afternoon. Even on a cloudy day, up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate and still cause damage to our skin. I recommend getting in the habit of using a morning moisturizer with SPF 30 – this way, no matter what the day ends up being, you will be protected.
Try keeping a travel-size sunscreen in your desk at work, in your purse, the car, and sports bags (golf bag, tennis bag), so you will never find yourself without it!
I don’t ever get sunburned because I have dark skin. I don’t think I need sunscreen, do I?
Remember that sunburns are mainly caused by UVB rays, but UVA rays can still cause significant skin damage and contribute to skin cancers, as well as wrinkles and accelerated aging. Despite not getting sunburned, you are still experiencing harmful UV damage when you’re exposed to the sun. Every time you tan, you get skin damage.
It is also well established that people of all skin colors get skin cancer. For instance, the skin cancer rates in Hispanics in the United States grew by 43% from 2000 to 2010. More often, their skin cancers, including Melanoma, were diagnosed at a later stage and were more advanced.
Bob Marley, the legendary reggae singer, died of Acral-lentiginous Melanoma, an aggressive form of Melanoma that was found under his nail.
Despite your perceived ability to tan well, it is still important to use sunscreen for skin cancer prevention!
To read the full article, go here.