by Emily Clark
Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She
lives in a mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike
and play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the sun and so she
opts for tanning salons to get her 'golden glow' while being sure to
apply sunscreen every day before heading out.
Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The
summers can be very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below
freezing during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been
much of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor
activities or at his job. Joseph doesn't worry about sunscreen and only
had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when he was a child.
--------------------
Which of these examples do you most associate
yourself with? Did you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of
developing skin cancer? We have all heard the warnings about the
dangers of sun exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing
sunscreen and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider
these myths and facts:
MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun
20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly
equivalent to four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather
than UVB rays, 'The Skin Cancer Answer' states that "UV-A penetrates
more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may
suppress the immune system."
MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is
Protection
85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on
cloudy days. That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the
dog or letting your children out to play at any time of year - even
when you're not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired
at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing
sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and should
always be applied every two hours or after getting wet.
MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will
Protect You
Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to
develop. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that most people receive
about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18.
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the
risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will reduce the
risk, but not eliminate the damage already done.
MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You're More
Protected
Dark skinned individuals are less likely to
develop cancer, but tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated
tanning injures the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.
MYTH FIVE: You Can't get Burned on Overcast Days
Just because the sun is hidden by some cloud does
not mean that you don't need protection from the harmful effects of the
suns rays.
So how do you plan to protect your family this
year? Some suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun - especially
for infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a
sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes before
exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your children good
safety habits and be sure you and they are covered up when outdoors.
Have fun and be safe. The information contained in this article is for
educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose,
treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before
beginning any health care program.
Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News
and Medical
Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and
information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
Emily Clark may be contacted at http://www.lifestyle-health-news.com
What
is a Rash Guard Shirt? It could be your best sun protection.
by Fred Lemon
The fondest of summertime memories for most
children, are those of long hot and sunny days at the beach. Those
memories conjure mental pictures of playing in the surf, burying Dad
alive and eating peanut butter and sand sandwiches. The thoughts that
don't usually jump to the front of our seaside memories are those of
the sun burns. This is because we tend to remember the best of times
more than the worst of times. No matter how well Mom lathered on the
sunscreen, there were always spots missed, and boy, weren't they
visible at the end of the day! The advent of the rash guard shirt has
come to the rescue of modern Moms and Dads to prevent these painful
experiences.
The rash guard shirt was originally developed for
surfers who were getting rashes from the wax on their surf boards. The
wax would hold sand from the beach and then they would be rubbing their
torsos on the wax as they paddled out to the break. Rash guards are now
manufactured from fabrics that hold high UPF factors, most of them are
50+. This is about the best protection that you can get from the Sun's
damaging rays, short of staying inside in the first place. The primary
benefit of the shirt is that there are no "missed spots" as there are
with sun lotion. The rash guards are also fast drying, so they are very
comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Once a child starts to
wear one at the beach, it just becomes second nature, like a life
jacket, and the entire headache and worry of sunburn is gone (at least
for the covered areas).
Other sports and activities have adopted the rash
guard shirt into standard operating procedure as well. In Karate, the
shirt is worn under the Gi to prevent chafing from the stiff cotton
uniform. In Grappling, most fighters now wear the long sleeve rash
guard shirt, as they make it more difficult to grasp by the opponent.
In yachting, professional crews now wear the rash guard shirt as a
uniform item during water sports because they are fast drying and look
much sharper than a wet T-Shirt.
When purchasing a rash guard shirt, look for
several factors to insure the quality of the shirt in question. The
stitching is very important, a poor seam can cause more discomfort than
the sunburn it is attempting to prevent. Flatlock stitched seams are
the best for comfort and durability. The fabric is also very important,
NOT ALL RASH GUARD SHIRTS ARE UPF 50+! Also, as with any product, check
the customer service policies of the seller.
Fred Lemon is a former Yacht Captain, and
co-owner of Wet Effect, Inc.
Fred Lemon may
be contacted at http://www.weteffect.com
or fred@weteffect.com
Which
parts of the Body does Skin Cancer usually appears on?
by Raphina Laurence
The sun worshiper culture has caused the
inevitable destructions to tens of millions who have over exposed their
body in the sun . There are several body parts that are more likely to
develop skin cancer. Do consult your doctor if you experience any of
this changes or new development on your skin. Look Out for: A small
lump on your skin, which is smooth in appearance, it may bleed or
develop a crust. Or Flat red spots, which are crusty and scaly. Or An
open sore or ulcer that bleeds or crusts over but does not heal. or
Firm red painless lump. * How do you identify Basel cell carcinoma?
Look Where - This type of skin cancer usually appears on sun-exposed
areas of the body such as the face, ear, neck, lips, and backs of the
hands. Look Out for - a small fleshy, translucent bump a smooth pearly
appearance. Body Parts affected by Basel Cell Carcinoma BCC usually
develops in parts of the body regularly exposed to the sun, such as the
scalp and neck, chin, nose and ear Basel Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is a
slow-growing cancer that takes months or even years to become sizable.
BCC rarely spreads to other parts of the body however be wary that the
cancer can spread under the skin and to the bones and surrounding
organs if left untreated. *Where does Squamous Cell Carcinoma Appears
on the Body SCC usually develops on the nose, fore heads, lower lip and
hands, scalp, legs, arm SCC. Sometimes SCC ican form in the skin of the
genital area. Squamous cell carcinomas are more likely to invade
tissues beneath the skin, and can metasise and spread to distant parts
of the body. *How to Identify a SCC- Squamous Cell Carcinoma often
appears as a firm red bump, and may feel scaly with red patches. The
SCC can be associated with scars or skin ulcers elsewhere on the body.
Over 90% of the above types of skin cancer can be cured, however they
must be treated promptly, if it is left untreated it could turn into
serious malignant melanoma. In the USA, 16 % of all Patients diagnosed
with Melanoma’s die.
Malignant melanoma Malignant melanoma (or just
"melanoma") is a relatively common but potentially deadly cancer and
occurs in nearly 50,000 Americans every year. Melanoma is highly
curable when detected early but can be an especially dangerous form of
cancer in some individuals. It causes nearly 8,000 deaths per year in
the U.S. Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma. Thinking of "ABCD" can help
you remember what to watch for when dealing with Skin Cancers A
Asymmetry - The shape of one half does not match the other. B Border -
The edges are ragged, notched, or blurred. C Color - The color is
uneven. Shades of black, brown, and tan may be present . Areas of
white, gray, red, or blue may be seen. D Diameter - There is a change
in size. How melanoma is detected? Melanoma is the most deadly skin
cancer of the 3 common skin cancers (BCC, SCC and MELANOMA). The cancer
can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated when the tumor is thin and
has not deeply invaded the skin. So it is important to detect the
melanoma as early as possible. Therefore, each individuals should check
their own skin regularly for any changes or skin growths and for any
changes the patient should consult any doctor that is specialize in
skin diseases. Therefore it is best to check your skin regularly for
suspicious looking areas and seek the advice from your doctor. Because
the earlier you discover skin cancer the better your chances of being
cured. Parts of the Body that Melanoma usually Appears on *Melanoma is
found most often in the elderly, arising on chronically sun-exposed,
damaged skin on the face, ears, arms, and upper trunk. Mainly of
elderly people, as well as the scalp in men. Overall, skin cancer care
within the family, such as reviewing your families skin, should be like
regular check ups with the dentist and the doctor. For further
information and advice on which skin cancer treatment is right for you
please see www.skincanceradvice.info
Remember Prevention is Better than Cure.
Raphina Laurence may be contacted at http://www.skincanceradvice.info
Can
Sun Tanning be Safe?
by David Smith
Copyright 2005 David Smith
Linda spends much of her summer near the beach.
She lives in a mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim,
bike and play games outside. Linda knows the dangers of the sun so she
opts for tanning salons to get her 'golden glow' all ways being sure to
apply cream daily before running out.
Mike lives in a cooler, northern climate. The
summers can be incredibly short, and most of the year the days are even
shorter with the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much
of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor
activities or at his job. Mike doesn’t worry about cream and only had
one sun burn that he can remember and that was once he was a child.
Which of these examples do you most associate
yourself with? Did you know that Linda and Mike have the same likely
hood of developing carcinoma? We have all been told the warnings about
the dangers of sun exposure. We know all about the importance of
wearing cream and hats. But are YOU protected from carcinoma? Look at
these myths and facts:
Story #1: Tanning Beds are all ways safer than the
Sun
20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly
the equivalent as four hours in the sun. Although sun beds apply UVA
rather than UVB rays, 'The Carcinoma Answer' states that "UV-A
penetrates even more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause
carcinoma, and can burn the body."
Story #2: Wearing Sun Block at the Beach is
Protection
85 % of Ultraviolet light rays can even create it
through on cloudy days. That means you are equally at gamble in the
car, walking the dog or allowing your babies bent on play at any time
of year - even once you're not at the beach. On the other hand, you are
commonly less clad at the beach so covering up is suggested even once
wearing sun block. Sun blocker can wear off with sweat and water and
should always be applied every two hours or after you get wet.
Story #3: Taking Care of Your Skin Presently Will
Protect You
Sadly, carcinoma can take 20 or even more years to
develop. The Carcinoma Foundation states that most people receive about
80 % of their lifespan sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one
blistering sun burn in childhood is estimated to double the gamble of
skin cancer later in life. Taking better care now will reduce the
chance however not eliminate the damage already done.
Story #4: Having a Tan Means You're Even more
Protected
Naturally dark individuals are less likely to
develop cancer however tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Continual
tanning injures the skin and increases the gamble of carcinoma.
So how are you going to get ready to protect your
family this year? A couple suggestions to start with is to limit
exposure to the sun - especially for infants. Look at your skin for
early signs of damage. Apply a sun block of SPF 15 or higher and apply
it at least 30 minutes before exposure and every few hours after that.
Teach your children early safety habits and be sure you and your family
are covered with umbrella or cloths once you get out in the sun. Have
fun and be safe.
David Smith is an internet content publisher.
David has several content web sites and provides information about a
lot of topics from marketing to health.
David Smith may be contacted at http://www.keyboardmarketing.com
or dasmith007@bellsouth.net
