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Editor's
Note
The early heat
wave many of us have experienced lately in many parts of Canada could be seen
as a mixed blessing – it caught us off-guard as we unwrapped AC units, dug out
shorts and tees, and likely located some expired sunscreen in our medicine cabinets.
At the same time, the hot spell primed us to get ready for the summer ahead,
like a testing of our personal emergency planning system, reminding us how intense
those UV rays can get. Protecting ourselves and our families, though, doesn't
mean sitting inside with the blinds drawn until nightfall. Armed with the right
information and precautions – including some fresh sunscreen – you can stave
off sunburns today and wrinkles and skin cancer tomorrow. Keep reading to find
out the latest about taking cover. Then get ready to fire up the BBQ, splash
in the pool, head to the cottage, putter in the garden, and enjoy the warm weather
while it lasts.
Angela
Pirisi |
What's
new under the sun?
Product
innovations are spelling better UV protection, but common sun sense
is still key
Sun
smarts for little ones
From
babies to teens, here's what parents need to know and do to ensure
sun safety for kids
Skin
cancer 101: Don't be a statistic
Find out
how to spot danger and prevent it with the latest stats and information about
skin cancer
Playing
it safe in the sun
How to enjoy
outdoor sports in the summer while protecting your skin from UV damage
|
• Up to 90% of the visible changes
commonly attributed to aging are actually caused by the
sun.
• One bad sunburn
(blistering) during childhood doubles your risk of developing
skin cancer later in life.
• Over
half of all skin cancers are identified by people themselves,
their partners or close family members.
• It is estimated that
90% of all skin cancers are preventable.
|
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Bad
sun habits revealed
Survey results released earlier this year in the American
Journal of Preventive Medicine found that many US adults engage in "risky"
behaviour when it comes to UV exposure. Analysing 2005 national health
data from over 28,000 adults, researchers found that the most common
offenses included: infrequent use of protective clothing (e.g. a wide-brimmed
hat, long sleeves and long pants); infrequent use of sunscreen with
a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more; staying in the sun instead
of seeking shade; use of indoor tanning devices; and having a history
of sunburns. People typically engaged in two or more of these risky
behaviours. The worst offenders were those ages 18 to 29, men, smokers
and "risky" drinkers (or heavier drinkers), as well as Caucasians
and those whose skin was not sun-sensitive (tan instead of burn). |
Caution:
Glossy lips attract more UV rays
A shiny pout is attractive, but unfortunately, suggests Dr. Christine
Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas,
TX, your dolled up lips will also attract more
UV rays. The message is that it's essential for women using lip gloss,
and for anyone using lip balm for chapped lips, to make sure to choose
a product with an SPF 15 or higher. Or if you wear some cosmetic product
that doesn't contain sun protection, like your favourite lipstick,
then you should also wear a product with SPF as a base before applying
your lip colour. Study findings have showed that only about 25% of
people use sun protection on their lips, but they're one of the most
vulnerable parts of your body to skin cancer. So it's a good idea to
cover them up before you show them off. |
Signs
of lip cancer
- Any changes to the color (opaque or white) of the lip surface
- Persistent peeling or flaking of a spot on your lip
- A sore on the lip that doesn't heal
- Unexplained bleeding
- Pain or numbness
|
Tomatoes
offer sun protection from the inside
If you want to boost your sun
protection, you may want to order some spaghetti or pizza. New findings from
the UK's University of Manchester reported that lycopene (antioxidant found in
tomatoes) can help protect skin again UV damage, such as aging and sunburn. The
bright red pigment is most highly concentrated in cooked tomatoes (i.e. tomato
sauce, tomato paste, ketchup). The study compared the skin of 20 people, after
giving half of them 5 tbsp. of tomato paste with olive oil and the other half
just olive oil daily for 12 weeks. Then they were exposed to UV light at the
start and end of the study. A skin analysis afterwards found that the tomato-fed
group had 33% more protection against sunburn – the tomato paste added about
an SPF value of 1.3. It also boosted procollagen, which gives skin its resilience,
and reversed DNA damage. Eating ketchup won't replace sunscreen use, but adding
tomato products to your daily diet could boost your defences against sun damage
long term. |
TASTE
GOOD HEALTH
Read about healthy eating in the latest Nutrition
Journal.
A special supplement of the Health Journal. |
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