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May 23, 2011

Is Sunscreen Enough on “Don’t Fry Day”?

Friday before Memorial Day is “Don’t Fry Day” to Encourage Sun Safety Awareness

Skin cancer is a largely preventable disease; still it remains by far the most common type of cancer in the United States. There are over two million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually, which is more than new cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. To help reduce rising rates of skin cancer, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day, May 27, 2011, as “Don’t Fry Day.”

“Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer, and thousands of Idahoans enjoy the great outdoors that weekend after being covered up all winter. “Don’t Fry Day” is a friendly reminder to protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation,” said Joanne Graff, Program Coordinator for the Central District Health Department’s Cancer Control program. “While overexposure to UV radiation is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, this skin cancer risk can be substantially reduced by practicing some simple sun-safety steps.”

Sun Safety Measures to Protect Your Skin When Outdoors:

• Avoid sun burning, intentional tanning, and using tanning beds;
• Generously apply sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours
• Wear sun-protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses;
• Seek shade;
• Use extra caution near water, and sand;
• Get vitamin D safely through food and vitamin D supplements.

The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone “Slip! Slop! Slap!®...and Wrap” – slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, and wrap on sunglasses. “Minimizing the harmful effects of UV exposure should be a life-long practice for everyone,” said Virginia Reyna-Walling, Cancer Program Coordinator for Southwest District Health. “It is especially important to protect children because sunburns from childhood increase the risk of getting skin cancer later in life.”

The UV Index forecast is a helpful resource to learn your daily risk of overexposure to the sun. Developed by the National Weather Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the UV Index forecasts the strength of solar UV radiation on a scale from 1 (low) to 11+ (extremely high). Simply go to the EPA website, download a free UV Index widget for your website, or download a free mobile application for your smartphone. The predicted UV level can be used as a guide for appropriate sun-protective measures to prevent overexposure to UV radiation.

Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S. Here are some statistics:

• The American Cancer Society estimates that 68,130 cases of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, were diagnosed in 2010.
• One American dies of melanoma almost every hour.
• While the incidence of many common cancers is falling, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise.
• Melanoma is now one of the most common cancers among young adults ages 15-29.

For more information, including how to use the UV Index to plan outdoor activities, visit the National Council’s site at www.SkinCancerPrevention.org. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is the united voice of more than 45 organizations, associations, and agencies dedicated to reducing skin cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. Council members represent some of the nation’s premier physicians, researchers, clinicians and advocates for melanoma and skin cancer prevention.