Young adults are the age group most likely to seek a tan, with research showing that people under the age of 29 – particularly women – are tanning most frequently, both in the sun and under solariums. Aside from the well-recognised risks of skin cancer, there is another consequence of this increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation of which many teens are not aware – photoaging. In short, all this UV exposure over time makes skin look older. (more…)
The brown-coloured pigment melanin is present in many different species – from humans, to birds, to microbes. It is well known that melanin affords these organisms some protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation, however the latest research indicates that melanin may also be providing a defense against ionising radiation (such as x-rays and gamma rays). (more…)
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum between visible light and X-rays; it is invisible to the human eye. UV light can be separated into three bands, UVA (400-320nm), UVB (320-290nm) and UVC (290-100nm). Of the UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface from the sun, approximately 6% is UVB and 94% UVA.
Skin maintains a curious balance with UV radiation. When UV impacts upon skin, the various wavelengths of light penetrate to different levels and thus have a number of effects.
Cancer Council Australia has launched one of the strongest public attacks to date on the use and regulation of sunbeds in the country. This follows a report that some solarium devices emit UV radiation six times stronger than the sun at midday in Australia.
In a press release issued today, the CEO of Cancer Council Australia, Professor Ian Olver, cited a paper published in this month’s Photochemistry and Photobiology journal when calling for the Australian Government to phase out solariums. (more…)
Earlier today, new stats were published by Cancer Research UK highlighting that two young adult Britons are diagnosed with skin cancer every day; a rate which has tripled since the 1970s. There were several factors highlighted as contributing to this increase, but one was most clearly singled out in the release:
“using a sunbed before the age of 35 can increase your risk of melanoma by 75%”
Two physicians from the University of Basel have released a case report in Pediatrics on a curious cause of skin damage: laptop burns.
The condition, described medically as erythema ab igne but known more commonly as “Toasted skin syndrome”, is caused by prolonged exposure to heat or infrared radiation and causes initial mild burning and itching sensations through to hyper- and hypopigmentation of the skin. In serious, chronic cases, erythema ab igne can lead to squamous cell carcinoma skin cancers, although a case of this is yet to be reported from laptop use. (more…)
Skin colour is one of the most obvious and most variable traits humans possess. As visual creatures, people readily observe these differences in one another. Anthropologist, Dr. Nina Jablonski, and colleague George Chaplin have unraveled the mystery behind the diversity of this distinguishing characteristic in their article, ‘Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV radiation’. The pair have presented the first complete theory of skin colour as an evolutionary adaptation.
Paeleotologists have long known that human ancestors once had bodies covered with dense hair. Several theories on the evolution of the present ‘hairless condition’ exist. In this case, the authors suggest this was in response to hot conditions and the need to lose body heat upon physical activity. As naked beings, their once-protected skin became exposed to a multitude of environmental elements, including abrasion, infection, various chemicals and weather conditions. At the same time as the disappearance of the majority of body hair, humans evolved skin that was a more resilient barrier to such hazards and also contained the protective pigment eumelanin (melanin).
With the northern Hemisphere officially creeping into summer, the first arguments of this season’s sun and skin debate have arisen
Anti cancer councils and organisations akin to Australia’s Sunsmart are continuing their awareness-raising campaigns, educating the public about the issue, and most importantly the practice of sun protective behaviour; although significant investment and persistence are required, well executed and long running campaigns can make significant progress, albeit on a regional scale. But a vocal group of skeptics are continuing to question whether a central element, sunscreen, might just be part of the problem.
It is known that ultraviolet radiation is one of the most important risk factors contributing to non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers. Athletes playing outdoor sports are exposed to a comparatively high amount of UV because of training and competition outdoors and thus athletes have an increased risk for cutaneous melanoma and other skin cancers.
A study has found that one in seven UK cricket players was urgently requested to see a specialist after discovering worrying moles during check-ups. For that reason the Professional Cricketer’s Association has organised screenings for all its members at dermatology specialists and already 15% of the male players were found to be in need of further investigation.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month in the US, and it’s likely that the associated awareness campaign has come not a moment too soon. A recent study confirmed that non-melanoma skin cancer has reached epidemic levels in the US, with an estimated 300 percent increase in the number of skin cancers over the past decade and a half.
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