Skin cancer is on the rise in general, but it’s especially a problem for minorities. One CNN report says that “many people of color often mistakenly believe skin cancer is not something they should be worried about.” However, dermatologists across the country have seen an increase in the amount of skin cancer rates in minorities.

It’s not that darker skinned people don’t have some protection from the sun’s rays. Studies have estimated that “for the darkest skin tones, pigmentation cells provide a natural sun protection factor, or SPF, of about 13.” As we’ve learned, however, 13 sun protection just doesn’t cut it. We need at least a 40 or higher.

Minorities are encouraged to use sunscreen and also watch any unusual changes in your skin. See a dermatologist yearly to get a full-body exam.

Image: sxc.hu.

This morning, I read a very sad story about Kelly Thompson. She’s only a 10-year-old little girl but suffered burns over 70% of her body after using….brace yourselves parents this may shock you….a tanning bed. She was actually in a tanning bed for 16 minutes, unsupervised. The BCC is reporting that there was no one staffed there when she entered.

IMG: Sxc.hu

“She was under-age but there was no staff there to stop her from using it. And there was no-one to give advice on using these potentially dangerous machines.”

This was one very lucky girl, even if she did get burned. Doctors said if she’d spent 2 more minutes inside the dangerous machine (at least for her) she would’ve been facing getting skin grafts. Dr. Len Lichtenfeld has wrote a post explaining that those that use tanning beds before 35 increase their chances of getting melanoma by 75%.

A sign on the door at the Electrik Avenue tanning centre reads: “Strictly over 16s only.”

There was a sign there that prohibits those younger than 16, however knowing children they won’t always obey especially when there are no adults present.

She was using the tanning bed to get herself that beautiful, golden tan just in time for summer. But now she’s been told she must stay out of the sun for the next 10 years in fear she will get skin cancer easier. Was it worth getting into the tanning bed? No.

What do you think of allowing your child/teen to use a tanning bed? Do you use one? Do you encourage your child to use one?

Here’s what some others are saying on the topic:
- Parent Dish wants to know if your kid using a tanning salon too.
- MomLogic is stating Kelly’s Mom wants all unmanned salons to get staff. I agree with this.

Yep, this was yours truly last summer after I mowed the lawn with a tank top on. Nice, huh? Needless to say, I won’t let it happen again. I was mowing my lawn and I had sunscreen on but it was only SPF 4 and I was out there for about 4 hours straight, sweating in the sun. After that I learned a few things. 1) Don’t be an idiot, 2) Sunscreen only works if you apply correctly, and 3) It’s also important to know what exactly SPF means and how to use it. The third one being most important. I mowed my lawn for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago. This time I wore a t-shirt but my arms did get a little burn to them. Perhaps I still haven’t learned.

Image: Everyjoe Men's Health

Here is some great information from Medicine.net on how to better understand Sun Protection Factor. Read more

Malignant melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer - is now the most common cancer for women in their 20s in the UK. According to Cancer Research UK, almost each day of the year, a UK woman between 20 and 29 is diagnosed with the deadly cancer. For women in their 30s, malignant melanoma has risen to be the third most common cancer.

The rise in melanoma is being attributed to binge tanning during holidays and the increasing use of tanning beds or sunbeds. SunSmart Caroline Cerny, manager for Cancer Research UK’s campaign, advises:

“Spending time on sunbeds is just as dangerous as staying out too long in sun. Sunbeds don’t offer a safe way to tan. The intensity of UV rays in some sunbeds can be more than 10 times stronger than the midday sun.”

According to SunSmart, risk factors for skin cancer include fair skin that burns easily, lots of moles or freckles, a history of sunburn (especially when young), red or fair hair, light-colored eyes and a personal or family history of skin cancer.

Those with one or more risk factors are advised to avoid sunburn by using shade, clothing and SPF 15 or higher sunscreen. Finding skin cancer early is crucial.

How are you protecting yourself against skin cancer?

(Image via stock.xchng)

Republican party presidential candidate John McCain is a survivor of melanoma –  a deadly form of skin cancer.

Earlier this week, a spot in his right cheek was removed as part of a routine check-up. Following biopsy results have showed that McCain is cancer-free.

Presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who has a history of dangerous melanomas, had a spot of skin removed from his face today, his campaign said.

The patch of skin was removed from McCain’s right cheek during a routine checkup in Arizona, the candidate said. In 2000, an invasive melanoma was removed from the senator’s left temple.

McCain denied there were any serious problems when he discussed the procedure at a campaign stop in Bakersfield.

Read more from the LA Times.

What kind of lip balms or glosses do you use? You may want to stay away from the shiny ones as they may attract ultraviolet rays (UV rays of the sun) and thereby increase the rtisk of skin cancer.

Such were the findings of Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

Lips are more susceptible than skin to aging from chronic sun damage and also more prone to developing serious cancers.

“When skin cancer occurs on the lower lip, it has the potential to be much more aggressive and metastasize to surrounding lymph nodes,” Brown said in a prepared statement.

Shiny balms and glosses don’t offer protection. Instead, they attract the sun’s rays to the lips.

“What most people don’t realize is they’re actually increasing light penetration through the lip surface by applying something clear and shiny to them,” Brown said.

Women should only wear glossy lipsticks in the sun when they have a layer of sun protection on underneath, dermatologists advise.

What fitting findings in time for the summer. Honestly, I never liked the shiny lip glosses and balms.

What about you? What lip balm or gloss do you use?

Find more details from The Washington Post.

After removal of several cancerous moles (one right under his right eye), Ewan McGregor is reportedly fine.

“I went to see a specialist who thought they were better to be removed, and indeed he was correct,” he said.

McGregor, who is promoting the erotic thriller Deception, insisted the surgery was “not that big of a deal”.

The star admitted he was aware that having pale skin and spending time in the sun meant he was more at risk, and it “was best to be looked at” by doctors.

When asked if he found the experience frightening he said, sarcastically: “It was great fun having skin cancer, it was great, I really enjoyed it.”

Yeah, early detection and this case - removal - is indeed critical.

There goes another reminder that the sun isn’t always our friend, especially if you’ve got a fair complexion.

Source: BBC News

Anderson Cooper recently had a skin cancer scare. Yup. That Anderson Cooper!

U.S. television journalist Anderson Cooper reveals on his Web site that he had a “small spot” of skin cancer removed from his face this week.

“I’ve been off for the last couple of days,” the CNN news presenter wrote on his blog Wednesday morning.

“I had minor surgery on Monday. A small spot of skin cancer was removed from under my left eye. I hadn’t planned on mentioning this but I still have stitches and you’ll no doubt notice them tonight,” he explained. “Don’t want you to think I got into a fist fight with Charlie Rose.”

Read UPI’s full report. Get well soon Anderson Cooper!!

Mole and melanoma are both melanocytes that turn separate ways when given the same genetic mutation: one stops growing turning into a benign mole while the other gets out of control developing into melanoma.

Melanoma is a cancer that develops from pigment-producing cells in the skin called melanocytes – thereby can be deadly.

Now, researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) discovered a protein that stops the growth of melanoma - led by Michael Green.

Green and his colleagues began by designing experiments that would help them determine what separates melanomas from ordinary moles at the genetic level.

Moles, also known as nevi, and melanoma often result from the same genetic mutation, and the biological pathway that differentiates the two had been a mystery.

The new study uncovers a relatively unknown protein that regulates the melanocyte’s “decision” to ward off cancer by either entering a programmed hibernation or committing suicide.

The findings - identification of the genetic underpinnings of a new way to thwart one of the deadliest forms of cancer – have been reported by the team in the February 8, 2008, issue of the journal Cell.

Find more details from the HHMI News.

Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan, Eric Dane himself has his own real life story to tell about a scary brush with skin cancer.

Dane opens up to OK! Magazine about his battle with skin cancer:

The actor first noticed a problem while looking in the mirror, at what he first thought were chapped lips.

“I went to my dermatologist. He said it was malignant tissue caused by sun damage,” Dane told OK! magazine.

He underwent a treatment procedure that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the cancer tissue. He was then given a cream for his lips to use following the treatment, to which he had a severe reaction.

“My skin is very sensitive and my lip was traumatized by the procedure I had to go through,” said Dane.

The actor’s lip complications from the cream made it extremely difficult for him to eat.

“I didn’t eat very well for a couple of weeks and lost a bunch of weight,” he told the magazine.

Find more details from the story written at MSNBC.