:: Jun-Jul 2008

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Highlighted Article

Sunburn Alert: UVB Does More Damage To DNA Than UVA “According to researchers from City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, UVB light is more harmful to our skin because our bodies are less able to repair the DNA damage it causes than the damage caused by UVA light. To reach their conclusions, scientists exposed three sets of cells to UVA light, UVB light and simulated sunlight. Then they compared these cells to an unexposed control group to analyze how well these cells were able to repair the damage. In addition, they analyzed published data on the genetics involved in human skin cancers. The researchers found that cells were more easily able to repair the damage caused by the UVA light, which explains why UVA light has been perceived as "safer" than UVB light. Despite this perception, scientists and public health experts caution that UVA light can and does cause serious damage that can and does lead to skin cancer. "We know that sunlight causes skin cancer and that breakdown of the ozone layer exposes us to ever more ultraviolet radiation. This work tells us that both forms of UVA and UVB in sunlight cause damage to DNA.”

Clinical Guidelines

NGC - Counseling to prevent skin cancer: recommendations and rationale. (2003)

NGC - Preventing skin cancer: findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services on Reducing Exposure to Ultraviolet Light. (2003)

Internet Sites

Featured site

NIH - Sun Exposure

NCI - Health Information Tip Sheet for Writers: Artificial Tanning Booths and Cancer

NIH - Skin Cancer

NIH - Sun Exposure Resources

Today's UV (Ultraviolet) Index

Related Topics - Highlighted Articles

Cancer: Melanoma

Tanning Beds, Sunlamps, and Risk of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2005) "Conclusions: Results indicate a significantly increased risk of cutaneous melanoma subsequent to sunbed/sunlamp exposure."

Vitamin: D

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND SEASONAL VARIATION IN AN ADULT SOUTH FLORIDA POPULATION. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005) "Hypovitaminosis D is associated with impaired neuromuscular function, bone loss, and fractures. If a person is not taking a vitamin supplement, sun exposure is often the greatest source of vitamin D. Thus, vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon in the winter, particularly in northern latitudes. ... The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is considerable even in southern latitudes and should be taken into account in the evaluation of postmenopausal and male osteoporosis."

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General Information

	General Information
Does Too Much Sun Cause Melanoma? Environmental Working Group's comprehensive sunscreen guide—including a list of 143 products that offer very good sun protection—fills in the gaps. Group: Effectiveness of Sunscreens Hazy “In their newly published analysis of more than 900 brand-named sunscreens, EWG researchers concluded that 7% of the products with SPF ratings of 30 or higher did not protect against UVA rays. Only 15% of the sunscreens met the group's criteria for safety and effectiveness by providing broad-spectrum sun protection (denoting protection against both UVA and UVB radiation), remaining stable in sunlight, and containing only active ingredients considered safe by the EWG. The top-selling sunscreen brands tended to be the poorest performers, with none of market leader Coppertone's sunscreen products consider to be both safe and effective by the EWG.” Overseas Sun Exposure, Nevus Counts, and Premature Skin Aging in Young English Women: A Population-Based Survey. (J Invest Dermatol. 2008)