Sun Smart Skin Safe

We wanted to thank belaray dermatology, in Plainview NY, for providing Sun Smart Skin Safe with a grant that has allowed us to produce some very special Sun Smart Skin Safe bracelets.  We have designed silicone bracelets that start out white in color, but change color to blue when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun.  This way, you can have a fun visual reminder to protect you and your family’s skin all the time.  And the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down.  These bracelet glows in the dark too!!

These are being sold 4 for $10, and 100% of the profits will be donated to the Melanoma Research Foundation.

Shipping is FREE for any orders in the US.  Any international orders will have to pay an additional $10 to cover extra shipping expenses.

Size

4 Adult 4 Youth 2 Adult, 2 Youth

The Los Angeles Times (1/24, Roan) “Booster Shots” blog reports that “kids are really bad about using sunscreen consistently,” according to a study published Jan. 23 online in Pediatrics. “Researchers studied fifth-grade children in Massachusetts in 2004 and then re-surveyed the same 360 children three years later. In the first survey, more than half of the kids said they had experienced at least one sunburn, and this rate did not change three years later.”

“Despite numerous efforts to encourage people to wear sunscreen, a new study shows only 1 in 4 children regularly uses sunscreen,” WebMD (1/24, Warner) reports. “The results showed that half of the children reported routinely wearing sunscreen in 2004, but only 25% did so in 2007.” The article adds, “Researchers say the results show that the time between ages 11 and 14 is a critical time in developing attitudes about tanning and wearing sunscreen, especially among girls.”

ABC News (1/24, Carollo) points out, “Most of the study participants said they liked the appearance of a tan, and the number of children who said they spent time in the sun to get a tan increased over the three-year period.” Lead author Stephen Dusza, said, “At the same time, there was a signficant reduction in reported sunscreen use.” Notably, “Dusza and dermatologists not involved in the research said the findings highlight the importance of finding effective ways to educate children of this impressionable age group about sun safety and the potential dangers of excessive exposure to ultraviolet light.”

“Half of a group of fifth-graders did not ‘often or always’ use sunscreen when outdoors for prolonged periods of time. Follow-up interviews three years later showed that regular use of sunscreen had declined to 25%,” MedPage Today (1/24, Bankhead) adds. “For both surveys, a majority of the study participants reported at least one sunburn within the previous year.”

HealthDay (1/24, Mundell) quotes the study authors, who wrote, “The years of ‘periadolescence’ covered by the study (ages 11 to 14) appear to be ‘a crucial period’ when young people often either ‘increase or decrease their use of sun protection, obtain sunburns, or change their tan-promoting attitudes.’” They also noted, “Adolescence and teenage years are tremendously difficult because it is a period of flexing independence, coupled with feelings of invincibility.” Also covering the story are the UK’s Daily Mail (1/24, Dumas) andMedscape (1/24, Laidman).

Skin cancer is the most common cancer affecting adults in the United States, but there are ways to diminish the sun’s danger. The new gold standard for sunscreens is broad spectrum protection from products that block both ultraviolet (UV)B, the burning rays, and UVA, the rays that cause aging and wrinkles.

The sun protection factor (SPF) number rating system for UV protection will still be used, but the highest rating allowed will now be 50+. Sunscreens with an SPF of 70 or more are history. Only products with an SPF of 15 or higher will be able to claim protection from sunburn, skin cancer, and aging. Note, however, that, dermatologists prefer an SPF of at least 30.

Sunscreen products can now only claim to be water-resistant. They can no longer be labeled as waterproof or sweat-proof. Even with water-resistant sunscreens, check to be sure that the application works for 40 or 80 minutes. Because these labeling rules are new, products with the older labels are still available.

Exposure to amounts of pollution typically found in urban environments may more than double skin damage from the sun, preliminary research suggests.

Extreme weather and smoking may also increase the skin damage associated with ultraviolent (UV) radiation, the study suggests.

Michelle Garay, MS, of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies in Skillman, N.J., and colleagues presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that an adequate amount of vitamin D should be obtained from a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D, foods/beverages fortified with vitamin D, and/or vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D should not be obtained from unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

For the full position statement, please click here.

“Melanoma in adults might be preventable with the regular use of sunscreen — that is, with the daily application to the head, neck, arms, and hands,” according to a study published in the Jan. 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In a study in which 1,621 adults were randomized “to regular sunscreen use or to discretionary use, which included no use at all,” researchers found that “regular application of sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or more during a five-year treatment period reduced the incidence of new primary melanomas during a subsequent 10-year follow-up period.”

Protect Your Children

TIME FOR FUN IN THE SUN: To ensure that you and your kids enjoy the outdoors during the spring, summer and all seasons, make sure you follow the steps on the attached infographic to protect children from the harmful effects of the sun. Always remember to practice sun safety by keeping in the shade and out of direct sunlight as much as possible. Also remember that while sunscreen plays a role in sun protection, it is never recommended for children under six months.

The Pros and Cons of UV Exposure

When we talk about being sun smart – many are quick to list all of the good things that the sun can do for us.  Here is a great illustration outlining the pros and cons of UV exposure.

Pros include Vitamin D, and stimulation of Endorphins.

Cons include premature aging, wrinkles, Skin Cancer (Including Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma), Cataracts, and immune suppression.

Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma.  You can have fun in the sun and decrease your risk of skin cancer. Here’s how to Be Skin Safe – Sun Smart:

• Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, whenever possible.

• Seek shade when appropriate. Remember that the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If your shadow appears to be shorter than you are, seek shade.

• Protect children from sun exposure. Be sure to play in the shade, use protective clothing, and apply sunscreen.

• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand because they reflect and intensify the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chances of sunburn.

• Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that may include vitamin supplements. Don’t seek the sun.

• Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

• Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early.

• Use sunscreen – especially one that is thought to be safe by the environmental working group.  There are many recommended sunscreens to choose from.