Cancer Care

* The number of skin cancers occurring in the population under 35 years old has risen sharply in the last few years. One of the reasons for this, without a doubt, is the inadequate and indiscriminate use of tanning beds, revealed doctor Felipa Cotzomi Atzompa, a dermatologist appointed at the General Regional Hospital (HGR, in Spanish) Number 36 “San Alejandro” at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS, in Spanish) in Puebla.

“Over 30 sessions a year constitute a real danger, and over 50 can cause from premature ageing to skin melanoma”, she asserted.

According to her, other factors such as fashion, vanity and aesthetics have led people to think of being tanned as a real necessity. This is especially true about young people, who tend to expose themselves to the sun for very long periods or go to places that offer tanning beds or artificial tanning lamps, without taking the necessary precautions to prevent skin or eye damage, which may be irreversible.

The specialist stated that sun exposure does have benefits for patients with ailments such as acne, osteoporosis (decrease of bone mineral mass due to lack of estrogens, which makes the bones spongy, thin and fragile), psoriasis (a chronic, non-contagious disease characterized by inflamed lesions covered with silvery-white scabs of dead skin) and rickets (a childhood disease characterized by soft and deformed bones caused by malnutrition and inadequate exposure to sunlight)

It is also a positive factor in cases of rheumatism (painful swelling in muscles, tendons, joints, bones, or nerves) and during climacteric, as well as favoring the immune system’s ability to fight diseases (this system defends us from microorganism’s attacks) and has a positive effect on our mood. In spite of this, an indiscriminate sun exposure can cause serious problems.

She explained that the sun has a great number of emissions, among which we find visible light, infrared radiation (electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of microwaves) and ultraviolet radiation (the invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun). These last two are responsible for tanning the skin, and are classified in three categories, according to their different characteristics and the type of effects that each one has over our health:

UVC. Are the ones with the most energy, but they do not reach the earth’s atmosphere because they are contained by the ozone layer.

UVB. They may stimulate the generation of the skin’s pigment, but at the expense of several secondary effects, which range from burns and lacerations to skin cancer if the person has been exposed to the sun for too long. Its effects can accumulate over long periods of time and may equally affect the eyes.

UVA. They also tan the skin and, even if traditionally they have been considered to be harmless, they do generate some skin damage on a long-term basis. This damage can even be more dangerous than that caused by UVB rays.

Some of the specialist’s recommendations to be taken into consideration before using the tanning beds are, for instance, to find out which is our skin’s phototype (or skin type) according to the following classification:

I and II. Very pale, easily burned and an almost non-existing tan.

III and IV. White or dark, brown eyes and hair; gradual tan.

V. Light brunette that causes intense tanning; the skin is rarely burnt.

The next step is to choose the correct format of the machine, one that proves adequate to the body part that from which we want to change the skin tone. The horizontal or vertical position must also be taken into consideration, depending if we want to tan the body and the face at the same time or just the face, in which case the tanning focuses only on the face and chest area.

Along the same lines, she commented that tanning machines use a series of filters that eliminate B-type radiation, allowing only A-type radiation to go through. Some studies indicate that the rate is 95% of UVA rays and 5% of UVB. However, the continuous use and the lack of maintenance given to the tanning beds may cause the UVA rays to be transformed into UVB rays, which is the main factor that triggers skin cancer.

If people still want to use tanning beds, they must choose a place that offers an adequate service and that has a good and serious reputation, warning the user about the negative effects that being exposed to UV rays may entail. Also, the customer should check that the equipment being used has been subject to periodic maintenance and that the personnel are properly trained for handling all tanning beds.

Some of the specialist’s recommendations that may reduce the damage when using these types of tanning beds are:
+ Banning its use to anyone under 18 years old.
+ Using special glasses to protect the eyes from UV radiation. It is important to note that normal sun glasses are not adequate.
+ Each session should last no more than 8 to 12 minutes.
+ Before exposure, make sure your skin is completely clean.
+ Get rid of any make up or perfume and do not introduce any jewelry, metallic objects and contact lenses to the tanning bed.
+ Allow 48 hours to pass between sessions.
+ Hydrate your skin after the tanning session using any product that preserves the skin’s natural humidity.
+ Let the specialist know if you are consuming any medicines, since these may generate some type of allergy that could lead to negative reactions.
+ You must not expose to the sun after an artificial tanning session.
+ Lastly, ultraviolet ray beds must not be used by pregnant women or by those who show any heatstroke symptoms or skin burns. People who have suffered from skin cancer or who have a family history of those kinds of anomalies.

Finally, the specialist informed that over 30 sessions a year is considered to be extremely dangerous and over 50 sessions may cause premature skin ageing, as well as skin burns, wrinkles, spots, flaccidity and, in the worst of the cases, melanoma or even skin cancer due to autoimmune system failure.

Source : www.periodicodigital.com.mx