Skin cancer versus sunlight benefits

Every year at this time I always give out my recipe for home-made sunscreen (see my next post for that). It’s a bit fiddly to make, mainly because sourcing the ingredients takes a while, but I’ve never had any complaints about it. I use it myself and while I can’t give a guarantee of it’s SPF capabilities it is about SPF15 on my skin which is medium.
As a skin cancer sufferer who has had two moles removed I am very aware of the dangers of the sun, but I also think we tend to slather it on too liberally, rely to heavily on it and some ingredients in sunscreens have proved to be nasty.
I am also aware the we need Vitamin D for good health and the best way to get that is from the sun. So every day, providing it is sunny, I allow my skin to get some sun for 20 minutes either in the morning or afternoon – never at it’s strongest at midday. And if I’m out in the sun I cover up with long sleeve cotton shirts and a big hat rather than slather on sunscreen.
This week I read this interesting article which says skin cancer prevention campaigns may be steering people away from healthy doses of sunlight, which is now thought to protect against high blood pressure, heart disease and possibly stroke, a group of British scientists say.
In a provocative presentation to a Melbourne conference this week, Martin Feelisch, a professor of clinical and experimental sciences at the University of Southampton, questioned whether it was time for a “radical rethink” of the advice given to people about how much time they should spend in the sun.
Professor Feelisch said recent epidemiological studies suggested that the health benefits of moderate sunlight exposure outweighed the harmful effects of UV radiation on the skin.
So this summer be sensible about the sun. Don’t think that because you and your family are slathered in sunscreen it is necessarily the best thing for you.
Have a look at this great article by the Environmental Working Group about sunscreen which recommends the following tips for staying sun safe:
* Do not use sunscreen as a tool to prolong your time in the sun.
* Cover up! Hats, shirts and sunglasses are the best protection.
* Avoid sunburn!
* Do not use a tanning bed or sunbathe.
* Protect kids! Early life sunburns are worse, so keep little ones out of the hot sun.
* Pick a sunscreen with strong UVA protection.
* Get vitamin D. There is speculation but not proof that adequate levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of melanoma. But we know that vitamin D is good for combatting other types of cancer. Commit to getting screened for vitamin D deficiency.
* Examine your skin. Check your skin regularly for new moles that are tender or growing. Ask your primary care doctor how often you should see a dermatologist.