HEALTH
Burns an’ a’ that
If you're jetting off to sunnier climes this summer or even catching a ray or two in Scotland, Cancer Research UK's Angela Kilday gives the facts on how best to protect your peely wally skin.
veryone likes to feel the
sun on their back. but it‘s ;
important to remember that skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK and the number of cases has doubled since the early 80s. Latest figures for Scotland show that there were 694 new cases
diagnosed in 2001 and that 136 , people died from the disease in '
2003.
There are two main types of skin
cancer. Malignant melanoma (MM) accounts for less than one in ten skin cancers and is more common in women than men. MM is the most serious type of the
disease and may even be fatal. The other. more common form of skin 1
cancer is non—melanoma. which accounts for nine out of ten skin
cancer cases. This form of skin
cancer is easily treatable and unlikely to spread.
Professor David Melton and his 2 team at the Sir Alastair Currie :
Cancer Research UK Laboratories at the University of Edinburgh
have shown that some people 3 might have an inherited risk as
they could have a fault in the gene which protects the skin from
ultraviolet light-induced DNA
damage. They are continuing to
research the genetic risk factors ‘ for melanoma in the Scottish
population where the frequency of this form of skin cancer is particularly high and rising.
102 THE LIST /-21 .Jul 200:3
There are other factors which
can lead to an increased chance of
developing skin cancer. If you
have fair skin and/or freckles. if
you have been sunburnt in the
past. if you have a large number of
moles (more than 50). if you have had skin cancer or have a history of skin cancer in the family
(especially melanoma). If one or
more of these points apply to you. you should take extra care to protect yourself from the sun.
Most skin cancers are caused by damage from ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight. UVB is commonly associated with sunburn and malignant melanoma. UVA penetrates deep into the skin and is thought to be responsible for premature ageing as well as skin cancer. This damage could be prevented if we protect ourselves from the sun by staying in the shade. covering up and using sunscreen.
The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of a sunscreen is a measure of its ability to filter out dangerous UVB rays and experts recommend
Generous amounts of sunscreen should be applied to clean. dry skin 15 —30 minutes before going
1 out in the sun and before putting
on make-up. moisturiser or insect repellent. It should then be reapplied once you‘re outside to ensure even coverage and continuoust reapplied every two
hours or more frequently if
washed. rubbed or sweated off.
Also. sunscreens should not be
stored in very hot places as extreme heat can ruin their
protective chemicals.
Buy a sunscreen that is labelled ‘hroad spectrum’. to protect against UVA and UVB. and water resistant.
(‘heck if it has a valid ‘use by‘ date as most sunscreens have a shelf life
a minimum SPF 15. A higher SPF 5
does not give you higher protection: it gives you longer protection from the effects of the sun. If your skin would redden in 15 minutes. using an SPF 2 means you would redden after 30 minutes. although this depends on how you apply it and what you're doing.
of two to three years. But no sunscreen. no matter how high the factor. can offer 100%.
I Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm
I Make sure you never burn
I Always cover up with a T- shirt, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses
I Remember to take extra care with children
I Then use factor 15 plus sunscreen
I Once you’re finished with your organs, what more fitting tribute is there than to pass them on to someone else, thus lengthening, improving or even saving their life? 3—10 July is National Transplant Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of the need for more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. It also encourages people to make their family and friends aware of their wishes. To sign up call 0845 6060 400 or go to www.uktransplant.org.uk
I The thought of a teenager turning vegetarian probably puts the fear into most parents who worry about them not getting all the nutrients they need to grow into big strapping types. The Vegetarian Society has published a helpful information source called Parent and Teen Guide to Vegetarianism, with nutritional advice and how to cope with a veggie famin member. Call 0161 925 2000 for a free copy. To check the vegetarian or vegan status of particular footstufts. go to wwwisitveggiecom.
I Us Brits are a bit uncomfortable talking about the digestive process. This is a shame, seeing as deaths from digestive illnesses account for 12% of all UK mortalities and bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK. But 80% of cases can be treated successfully if they’re caught early. 60, Gut Week, running 18-24 July, aims to highlight ways to keep your innards healthy and signs to watch out for if they're not. Go to www.gutweek.org.uk for more information.
I Summer is activity time so play frisbee for an hour in the park and expect to burn over 200 calories. have a game of cricket and use up 350 calories. mow the lawn for the same time and burn nearly 400.