There are a number of misconceptions about the interaction between sunlight and skin. In this two part post we look at what we think are the top five most common sun and skin myths.
Myth 1: I can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day (more…)
Top five sun and skin myths (part 1)
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012Ultraviolet A more cancer-causing than once thought
Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
While the evidence linking sunbeds to the development of skin cancer continues to mount, recent research provides new insight into the underlying mechanisms.
Radiation from both the sun and tanning beds is made up of various wavelengths, including visible light and several types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, those which cause sunburn, have long been heralded the culprit which initiates skin cancer. It does this by damaging the genetic information (DNA) within skin cells, forming lesions known as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs). These lesions create mutations in the DNA which can lead to the development of skin cancer (you can read about this process here). (more…)
Creating order in the chaos – New sunscreen labels
Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
The US Food & Drug Administration began drafting guidelines for the labeling of sunscreens in 1978. Published in 1999, these guidelines have been under review and revision ever since to try to incorporate protection from ultraviolet A (UVA, 400-320nm) radiation as well as ultraviolet B (UVB, 320-280nm) radiation, exposure to both of which are known to increase the risk of skin cancer.
For many, the multitude of claims and variation in labeling currently in use is confusing and makes comparing brands difficult. Therefore, it was with much relief that on June 14 the FDA announced modified regulations regarding the labeling of sunscreens. (more…)
Ultraviolet radiation and its effects on the skin
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
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.
Melanocyte stem cells
Friday, June 17th, 2011
Human skin consists of a number of different cells. The majority of the top layer of the skin is made up of keratinocytes which are produced constantly and migrate to the surface of the skin where they ‘slough off’ as dead skin.
Melanocytes, the cells which produce pigment in the skin, lie below the keratinocytes at the base of the epidermis (see the figure, click to enlarge). Melanocytes also exist at the root of the hair follicle, in the matrix of the inner root sheath or shaft, and are responsible for giving hair its colour. The dermis, the layer of the skin beneath the epidermis, consists mostly of collagen, elastic tissue and reticulum fibres, along with some specialised nerves and glands. The bases of hair follicles are also embedded in this middle layer of skin.
“Solariums make a mockery of our efforts to reduce skin cancer”: Cancer Council Australia
Monday, May 16th, 2011
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…)
Dear 16-year-old Me
Thursday, May 5th, 2011A great new viral video from the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund went live earlier this week. Check it out:
Head to the DCMF website for more on their work. You can read more about melanoma on our website.
Tanning beds and the vitamin D debate
Thursday, April 21st, 2011In a blog post last week we highlighted the mechanisms by which a tanning bed (solarium) can cause skin cancer, following new statistics on melanoma from the UK. Yet, individuals continue to use solariums – despite their risks – and much debate is ongoing about their exact impact upon human health, particularly with regards to vitamin D.
One of the key arguments made by advocates of solariums is that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is essential for the production of vitamin D. Tanning beds are, in theory, a good source of this nutrient during the winter months or in locations which don’t receive much sunlight throughout the year. Yet, to consider this reasoning, it is first important to understand the science behind these concepts. (more…)
How does indoor tanning cause skin cancer?
Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
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%”
‘Measuring’ vitiligo: the challenges of clinical and treatment evaluation
Monday, April 4th, 2011
Since our announcement last year that Clinuvel would commence a new program for SCENESSE® (afamelanotide) in nonsegmental vitiligo, the company has received vast interest in the application of the drug in this disease. Of the enquiries that best captured the essence of this program, one stood out: a US based analyst asked how the company intended to objectively measure the response to treatment, the repigmentation of vitiliginous lesions, in its trial. (more…)
