As the temperature rises and the sun's rays intensify, Utahns should protect themselves from overexposure to save lives, advise the skin cancer experts.
Utah has one of the highest rates of preventable skin cancer in the nation.In 1992, 150 Utahns will develop the most deadly form of skin cancer - malignant melanoma from sun overexposure. Forty of these Utahns will die of melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society, Utah Division.
Utah ranks with Phoenix, Denver and Sacramento as having the highest amount of skin cancer, Carla Marr, spokesperson for the Cancer Society Utah Division, said Monday. High elevation makes Utahns more suspectible. And there are more people coming from European countries with fairer complexions.
In the United States, approximately 32,000 new cases of malignant melanomas are diagnosed each year, with about 6,700 patients dying.
Dr. Ralph Bradley, dermatologist with Cottonwood Hospital, told the Deseret News he has treated a record number of severe sun exposure cases this year - probably because of the unseasonably warm weather. Many of the cases require emergency care. He is deeply concerned that Utahns don't take seriously the risks of too much sun without proper protection.
"I don't want to spoil everyone's fun in the sun or advocate avoiding sunlight altogether," said Bradley. "But I do believe that understanding the sun - and skin cancer - can save lives."
The most critical problems occur at the beginning of the season when people have forgotten about the intensity of the sun - and they tend to be "sun-starved," he said. School is out and people have more time to spend outdoors.
Parents need particularly to protect children from severe sunburn, which can lead to melanoma later in life, he advises. Recent research shows that a child who suffers a severe burn during childhood has double the risk of skin cancer.
Ninety percent of all skin cancers occur on parts of the body that usually aren't covered by clothing. The face, tips of the ears, hands, forearms have been the usual places sunburn occurs. But in recent years, the shoulders, backs and chests, the lower legs have become vulnerable areas for skin cancer, Bradley said.
While dermatologists and cancer society officials have conducted major campaigns to educate Utahns, the number of sunbathers - "those who deliberately expose themselves to the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays" - is increasing.
"Young people believe they are invincible. They don't think they will ever have to pay the price of wrinkles, brown spots and skin cancer."
While tanning booths filter some of the rays that burn, Bradley considers them more dangerous than natural sun. "The problem is that instead of three months of sun exposure, a person can spend all 12 months going to a tanning booth. Instead of tanning on the weekend, people can try to get the most for their money by tanning every night," he said.
Skin has a memory. A sunburn you receive in your teens will have an affect 20 years later.
"Your skin never forgets the overexposure you receive. You can repent and `sun no more,' but the damaging affect will still be there," said Bradley.
Carry sunscreen in your fishing tackle box, your golf bag, your bicycle bag.
"It's best to use common sense when you're going to be outdoors. It could save your life."
Free skin cancer screenings, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, will be held at the following locations: Thursday, June 11, at the Holladay South Stake Center, 2625 E. Milo Way; Thursday, June 25, at the Heritage Center, 6150 S. 10 East - for senior citizens only. Appointments are necessary.
*****
(Additional information)
Sunburn prevention
-Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face.
-Use sunscreens to help prevent overexposure, as well as premature aging of the skin. Use a sunscreen with a protective factor (SPF) rating of 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen at least an hour before going into the sun and again after swimming or perspiring a lot.
-Stay out of direct sun at midday, as the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Be aware that you can get burned while in water, sun rays can reach cown into three feet of water. Also, in high altitudes, such as in Utah, there is less atmosphere to filter out ultraviolet rays.