PageRank

Sunday 2 September 2012

Sunscreen effects on melanin

Melanin is the substance that gives the skin and hair its natural color.People with darker skin; tend to have a higher amount of melanin.
By contrast, those with less pigment have lighter or fairer skin colouring.
Melanin absorbs UV and is thus a natural sunscreen, and is probably the reason that dark skinned people have a tenth of the skin cancer rate of fairer folks.
When fair skinned people are exposed to the sun, this stimulates melanin production in their skin, thus giving them a 'tan', but along the way causes lots of skin damage.
The two most common forms of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are found largely in fair skinned people.
Tanning and burning are caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun. These rays cannot be seen or felt, but penetrate the skin and stimulate cells containing a brownish pigment called melanin.
Melanin tries to protect the skin by absorbing and scattering ultraviolet rays. People with dark skins have high amounts of melanin and have greater natural protection from ultraviolet rays.
Blondes, redheads, and people with fair skins have less melanin and, therefore, burn more quickly.
As melanin is stimulated by ultraviolet rays, it rises to the skin’s surface as a tan. A tan is damage to the skin but may provide some protection against future sun exposure.
Individuals with dark skins such as olive, brown, or black are not immune to burning and skin damage caused by careless exposure to the sun.
Darker skin does offer more protection than light skin against sunburn and skin cancer.

Sunscreen Made Simple
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and lets you know how effective the sunscreen is at blocking out the sun’s rays – called UVB and UVA rays. The higher the SPF, the more rays are blocked out.
contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with long you can stay in the sun without re-applying – in fact, no matter what SPF you’re using, you need to put more on at least every two hours.
Pale - you have very pale skin, burn easily and find it difficult to tan. You probably also have fair or red hair, and possibly freckles. If this is your skin type, then unfortunately you’re most at risk of developing skin cancer! You shouldn’t head to the beach without applying a sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 30, and skin experts say you shouldn’t leave the house without factor 15 on your face, even in winter. There’s no point in even attempting t tan – the only safe option for you is a fake one.
Fair - you also have fair skin and burn with too much sun, but you do gradually tan. You most likely have fair to medium hair and blue or brown eyes. Unfortunately, you’re more likely to develop skin cancer than almost any of the other skin types. You need to choose SPF 30 sunscreen if you’re planning to spend time in the sun, and at least SPF 15 for everyday use. If you absolutely have to tan, opt for somewhere between there.
Medium - You have light olive skin and tan reasonably easily, although you do burn if you spend too long in the sun. You probably have brown or green eyes. Even though you can tan, you’re still risking skin cancer every time your skin burns. Prevent this by applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 for everyday use.
Olive - You tan easily and only burn if you spend hours in the sun without protection. You probably have brown eyes and dark hair. You may think your tanned skin makes you exempt from skin cancer, but be warned – you’re still at risk. Use SPF 15 sunscreen if you’re planning to spend the day at the beach.
Brown - Your skin is naturally brown, and you have dark hair and brown eyes. In the sun, your skin darkens further, and you only burn if you spend absolutely ages in the sun. It’s unlikely you’ll develop skin cancer caused by the sun, but you could still face major wrinkling if you don’t use sunscreen. You can afford to go for SPF 15 or lower.
Dark - You have black skin, black hair and dark brown eyes. Your skin gets darker in the sun, but only burns after extreme exposure. People with your skin type rarely develop skin cancer caused by the sun, but it’s worth using sunscreen anyway to protect you from premature ageing. Sunscreen with SPF 15 if you intend to spend the day in the sun, or even lower for everyday use, will work best for you.

Tips for Avoiding Skin Cancer
• Stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm – if you have to be outdoors, head for the shade
• Wear at least SPF 15 sunscreen and reapply every two hours – understand that a higher SPF indicates that it provides stronger protection, but not for a greater length of time, so no matter what SPF you use, you’ll still need to reapply at least every two hours
• The higher the SPF, the better the sunscreen is at protecting you from skin cancer and ageing. Make sure you’re using one that safeguards you against not only UVB rays, but also UVA – an often-overlooked type of ultraviolet light that scientist say does just as much damage
• Apply sunscreen everywhere – don’t miss your ears! And apply generously as you would a moisturizer – research shows that most people only put on half as much as they should
• Wear sunglasses and a hat to protect your face, neck and ears – sunscreen alone may not be enough to safeguard these delicate areas. Realise that sunscreen does not protect you completely on its own, so if you’re spending hours in the sun, throw on a loose, light-coloured t-shirt too
• Avoid sun beds, and resist the urge to sunbathe
• Remember that self-tanning products, tanning moisturizers and tanning oil do not contain any UV protection at all
• Whatever your skin type, don’t let your skin burn
• Don’t forget that harmful UVA and UVB rays can still get through the atmosphere and burn you even on a cloudy day
• The sun’s rays are especially damaging to children, so make sure kids are protected with sunscreen, hats and clothes at all times and keep babies out of the sun altogether
Some people argue that a high SPF will cut out too much Vitamin D, which the body needs. However, for fairer skinned people the skin cancer risk outweighs the benefits, especially since you can also get Vitamin D through your diet, according to the British Skin Foundation. They recommend sunscreen with a lower SPF to darker skinned people, who are more likely to develop Vitamin D deficiencies.
If you notice any worrying changes in your skin, or if a mole changes colour or shape, contact a doctor, who will refer you to a dermatologist if necessary.

Annexed
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin caner It can be destructive and disfiguring.
The risk of developing BCC has increased for individuals with a family history of the disease.
With a high cumulative exposure to UV light via sunlight, or in the past, were exposed to carcinogenic chemicals, especially arsenic.
Treatment is with surgery, topical chemotherapy, X-ray, cryosurgery, or photo dynamic theory. It is rarely life-threatening but, if left untreated, can be disfiguring, can cause bleeding, and produce local destruction (e.g., eye, ear, nose, lip). Basal cell skin cancer almost never spreads; but, if untreated, it may grow into surrounding areas and nearby tissues and bone.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) - Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common caner of the skin (after basal cell carcinoma but more common than melanoma). It usually occurs in areas exposed to the sun, and can generally be treated by excision only. Sunlight exposure and immunosuppressant are risk factors for SCC of the skin. The risk of metastasis is larger than with basal cell carcinoma.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Seaside Clothing merchandise are well prepared from numerous excellent high-quality materials. They are ideal for seashore activities. They may be available in many colors and kinds. They're created as for every the most recent trend developments. Variety of designer beach front china fashion online, beachwear and add-ons includes of bathing fits, swimwear, seaside skirts, seaside towels, bikinis, go over ups, kid's beachwear, men's beachwear,Computer Repair Tracking Software, kimonos, pareo, swim trousers, thongs, seaside lingerie, etc.

Followers

SovaJKJewellery Etsy Shop

Totalblogdirectory

BlogFlux

Fashion Blog Directory

Topblogging

Fashion blogs

OnTopList

Online Marketing
Add blog to our blog directory.

BlogTopSites

TopBlogArea

Top Fashion blogs

Blogtoplist

Zimbio

My Zimbio
Top Stories Maxxhits.com - FREE Search Engine Submission
Click here to submit your URL to over 8000 search engines,
directories and links pages Free. Boost your website's traffic fast!!!
Powered By Blogger