六九色堂

Whether you鈥檙e a student at one of the Caribbean medical schools exposed to the tropical sun on a daily basis, or back home spending time at the beach with friends and family, using proper sunscreen with an effective SPF (Sun Protection Factor) to fight the risk of skin cancer and premature aging is crucial. It makes no difference if you鈥檙e fair-skinned, olive-skinned, or a person of color, because no one is immune. The Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2012 that new skin cancer diagnoses outnumber breast, lung, prostate, and colon cancer diagnoses combined.

(Photo, inset right) Sunscreen slows aging process for people under 55, new study says. Image: Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Researchers at Duke University say redheads are the most susceptible to skin cancer. The melanin (a naturally occurring pigment that gives skin and hair its color) in redheads is more vulnerable to damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays. 鈥淩edheads, under exposure to the sun, developed a reaction of oxidative stress. This is where damage to DNA and cells may occur and over time, form cancer,鈥� says the website for Cancer Knowledge Base.

Generally, people of Northern European ancestry are at the highest risk for skin cancer, but anyone of Hispanic, Southern European (Mediterranean), Asian, Middle Eastern and African ancestry must also protect themselves from the sun.

Studies show that some people of African descent have a natural SPF of 13, but can be prone to dangerous melanomas, so wearing sunscreen is still essential.

Jamaican reggae music legend Bob Marley died at age 36 from acral lentigious melanoma, a form of skin cancer that starts on the palms of hands, soles of feet, and under finger and toenails. If left untreated, it can spread to vital organs and be fatal.

Two other common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, which affects the lower part of the epidermis or the outer layer of the skin; and squamous cell carcinoma, which forms in squamous cells or the flat cells that form the skin surface.

Fortunately, avoiding skin cancer is simple. Use a sunscreen with an SPF that is right for your skin type. You鈥檒l lower the risk of getting skin cancer, and may prevent or reduce skin aging, according to a study published in  this week.

The study, conducted in Australia, focused on 903 adults younger than age 55. Participants were assigned into four groups: daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen and 30 mg of beta-carotene; daily use of sunscreen and placebo; discretionary use of sunscreen and 30 mg of beta-carotene; and discretionary use of sunscreen and placebo. The result? 鈥淭he daily sunscreen group showed no detectable increase in skin aging after 4.5 years. Skin aging from baseline to the end of the trial was 24% less in the daily sunscreen group than in the discretionary sunscreen group (relative odds, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.59 to 0.98]).鈥�

The Skin Cancer Foundation鈥檚 website lists six different skin types and how everyone can be protected by using the right sunscreen and taking precautions:

Six Different Skin Types: Skin Cancer Foundation鈥檚 Guide to How to Protect Yourself

Type I

You always burn and never tan in the sun, and are susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at very high risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Use a sunscreen with a SPF of 30+ and clothing with a UPF rating of 30 or higher. Seek the shade when out in the sun. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.

Type II:

You almost always burn and rarely tan in the sun, and are highly susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at high risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Use a sunscreen with a SPF of 30+ and clothing with a UPF rating of 30 or higher. Seek the shade whenever you are out in the sun. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.

Type III:

You sometimes burn and sometimes tan in the sun, and are susceptible to skin damage as well as cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You are also at risk for melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Be sure to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day, wear sun-protective clothing, and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM, when the sun is strongest. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.

Type IV:

You tend to tan easily and are less likely to burn. But you are still at risk; use sunscreen with an SPF of 15+ outside and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup.

Type V:

You tan easily and rarely burn, but you are still at risk. Use sunscreen with an SPF of 15+ and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Acral lentiginous melanoma, a very virulent form of the disease, is more common among darker-skinned people. These melanomas tend to appear on parts of the body not often exposed to the sun, and often remain undetected until after the cancer has spread. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup. Keep an eye out for any suspicious growths, especially on the palms, soles of the feet and mucous membranes.

Type VI:

Although you do not burn, dark-skinned people are still at risk for skin cancers, and should wear sunscreen with a SPF of 15+ and seek the shade between 10 AM and 4 PM. Acral lentiginous melanoma, a very virulent form of the disease, is more common among darker-skinned people. These melanomas tend to appear on parts of the body not often exposed to the sun, and often remain undetected until after the cancer has spread. Check your skin head-to-toe each month, paying careful attention to any suspicious growths, and make sure you have an annual professional skin checkup. Keep an eye out for any suspicious growths, especially on the palms, soles of the feet and mucous membranes.

(Top photo) Photo: Wikimedia Commons

六九色堂:

Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences focuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, 鈥減ersonalized medical education,鈥� and it鈥檚 what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada. 六九色堂 is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.