Sun Tan & Health

Although the look of tanned skin may be esthetically pleasing to some individuals, regularly exposing unprotected skin to ultraviolet light can be harmful to a person’s health. Whether the source of ultraviolet light occurs from a tanning bed or natural sunlight, a sun tan causes injury to the skin and damages the DNA of skin cells.

While the skin releases enzymes that attempt to heal the injured skin, it is not possible to repair all the damage that has occurred. This results in the formation of mutations within the cells that significantly increases a person’s risk for skin cancer and melanoma. If eye protection is not worn while tanning, cataracts, photoconjunctivitis and photokeratitis can develop after long term exposure. In addition to skin cancer and eye damage, frequent tanning can also result in photaging, which causes wrinkles and hyperpigmentation due to sun damage.

Australia is known for its lovely weather and warm sunshine but, what many people don’t consider, is the harm the sun’s rays can do if people don’t protect themselves. Even though people around the world love a healthy looking bronze glow, a tan is the first sign of skin damage. Follow these five sun safety tips to protect yourself from skin cancer.

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Skin cancer is a disease that ails more than two million people per year. Thankfully the disease is preventable in more ways than one. Five additives to in-sun activity will lead to successful prevention: protective clothing, hats, SPF 30 and above sunscreen, shade, and sunglasses. If frequenting outdoor activity, one should also have regular skin checks. Any suspicious lumps or spots should be examined as soon as they develop, especially if they appear to be growing. Nobody should be lax when it comes to this matter as it can be serious in melanoma cases. Remember: spending too much time in a tanning bed can lead to skin cancer just as badly as natural UV rays can.

When compared to other types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most dangerous. While it is definitely curable and can be treated effectively when detected early, melanoma can quickly spread to other areas of the body if early treatment is not sought. Without early detection, it becomes increasingly difficult to treat melanoma, and it can also be fatal in some cases.

Although melanoma does not occur as frequently as most other forms of skin cancer, it is usually the most deadly and causes the most fatalities of all types of skin cancer. It has been determined by the American Cancer Society that nearly 120,000 individuals are diagnosed with melanoma over the course of a year.

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