The sun & your skin: what you should know about the sun and the damage it can do

Melanoma, an often-lethal form of skin cancer, is the fastest-growing cancer in the U.S. Dr. Rene Martin Earles points out the connection between the sun and cancer, and the aging effects the sun can have on African-Americans.

The care of your skin in the summer should differ significantly from other times of the year, primarily because of our increased exposure to the sun. Whereas, the sun tends to have a narrow range of effects in some racial groups, it has a wide range of effects in African-Americans.

In general, increasing darkness of the skin gives us increased protection from the sun. The pigment of the skin of many dark peoples is actually capable of absorbing the sun's rays to practically render it harmless, thus preventing skin cancer and reducing aging of the skin. However, because of the infusion of primarily Caucasian genes with ours, reaction to the sun is much more variable and demands caution for all skin colors.

As the sun's rays land on our skin, they penetrate it. In doing so, they interact with the DNA of the skin and sometimes cause permanent alteration of the skin's DNA. In susceptible persons, the sun's rays cause effects that may lead to skin cancer and aging.

Skin cancers and their removal may cause disfigurement and may cause some aging effects. Additionally, some skin cancers related to sun exposure, primarily melanoma, may even cause death. Sun injury or sunburn changes are manifested by redness, increased skin temperature and, in severe cases, blister formation. Severe sunburns at early ages are particularly damaging in predisposing to skin cancer and aging.

The sun may also react with various medications (including blood pressure and diabetic medications) as they pass through the skin. Severe sunburn reactions caused by medications, though not leading to skin cancer, may weaken the skin's barrier function, making it less effective against the sun's rays.

Darkened skin as age spots, sometimes called melasma or chloasma, occur on the cheeks and foreheads of many people. These troublesome splotches may occur during sun exposure or/and be aggravated by the sun.

Approximately 50,000 people die annually in this country from melanoma. However, the numbers could rise because increased travel by African-Americans has caused increased sun exposure on cruise ships, beaches and while touring tropical countries where the sun's intensity is greater than in the U.S.

Wisdom demands that we take precautionary measures. Those measures include: 1) If you sunburn in your home environment, you need to use a sunscreen. You will certainly need one during travel to places where the sun is hotter and more intense than at home. 2) If you do not burn in your home environment, caution should still be exercised while visiting places with increased sun intensity. The wearing of a sunscreen and limited initial exposure to the sun is advisable. In both scenarios, sunburn and its harmful sequelae can usually be prevented. 3) If you are taking medications that may react to the sun, consult with your pharmacist or doctor regarding possible sun reactions. Again, caution is the watch-word. 4) The use of a sunscreen is advisable. There are two types of sunscreens. You may simply separate them as the ones with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and the ones without these two ingredients. These sunblocks are the most effective since they are composed of metals, which because of their cream base, act as shingles do in roofing to prevent the sun's rays from piercing your skin. People who are very sensitive to the sun should use these compounds. The other sunscreens are usually very adequate for those who are less sensitive. The greater the SPF, the greater the effectiveness of the product.

The sun is the most powerful physical force in our universe. Respect it and you will be able to enjoy its warmth and the joy that it brings.

Send questions or comments for this column to Talk To EBONY at www.ebonyjet.com, or mail them to HOUSE CALL, EBONY, 820 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60605. Answers to all questions are checked with a physician. This information is not intended as a substitute for individual, professional medical treatment. Due to the volume of mail received, we cannot give personal replies.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning