Sun Exposure
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Transcript Sun Exposure
Sun
Exposure
The learning goal:
Describe the effects from the
most prominent object in our
solar system – the Sun
Ultraviolet Radiation
Primary Source =
natural: the Sun!!!
Secondary Source =
artificial: tanning beds
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation
(UVR)
UVA rays
Weakest rays
Impairs skin’s immune defense
Causes melanoma, wrinkling, premature
aging
Prevalent in tanning salons (which emit 5X
more UVA than natural sunlight!)
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation
(UVR)
UVB Rays
Stronger than UVA rays
Affects skin’s outer layers
– Causes sunburn, skin aging, basal and squamous cell
cancers
More intense during summer, closer to equator,
and at higher altitudes
Prolonged exposure can also alter the immune
system!
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation
(UVR)
UVC Rays
Strongest, most dangerous rays
Receive little attention from scientists and
doctors
Are usually filtered by the ozone layer and
don’t reach Earth.
Youth are at risk because….
They have high levels of sun exposure,
They have low levels of sun protection,
They have many outdoor jobs
– Lifeguards, tree planters, student painters,
camp counselors, etc.
They work many spring/summer jobs when
they are out of school and the sun is
strongest!
How Skin Cancer is Caused
UVR lowers the body’s immune system & makes
it hard to destroy defective cells
Skin is tanned and/or burned via exposure
Damage is done to cells and DNA
Some cells die; some repair themselves by
getting rid of the damaged DNA
– Cells that cannot repair themselves, become defective
– Defective cells that are not destroyed slowly grow and
produce a tumor.
Three kinds of Skin Cancer
Exist!
Melanoma
Basal Cell cancer
Squamous cell cancer
Actinic/solar
keratoses (“premalignant”)
Did you know….
1 in 5 Americans will
develop skin cancer?
a person’s risk of
developing skin
cancer doubles if they
have > 5 sunburns?
Women with basal
cell cancer TRIPLED
from 1976 – 2003?
Women with
squamous cell cancer
QUADRUPLED from
1976-2003?
Melanoma
Least common; most
serious
Starts as flat brown
spot (~ freckle)
Asymmetrical shape
Common on upper
back in men; calf &
back in women
Basal Cell Cancer
On sun-exposed areas
Starts as blister-like
bump
Can grow and
eventually becomes
crusted
Usually spot is
clear/flesh colored;
can be pigmented
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Develops on
background of severe
sun damage
Has scaling with pink
or brown coloring
On sun-exposed areas
Scaling can be picked
off but reforms
Actinic/Solar Keratoses
Are “pre-malignant”
Some will develop
into squamous cell
carcinoma
– The scaly lesions will
become harder,
elevated, and more
crusted
Negative Aspects
Wrinkles
Brown sunspots on your skin
Aging
Possible death
Need for surgery or chemotherapy to
remove cancer
Why is it important to be
informed?
Melanoma, the most dangerous skin
cancer, is almost always curable when it is
detected early.
It can be prevented by being sun wise
Early detection is key!
The sun is fun, but can become dangerous
Children need help protecting themselves
Barriers of Communication
“It won’t happen to me” attitude
Tans are seen as attractive
Can be a result of childhood burns
People are in the sun often enjoying sports,
beaches, parks, etc.
Being protective is a nuisance to some
Not being informed of the proper
prevention techniques
PROTECT YOURSELF!
Reduce sun exposure
between 10am – 4pm
Seek (or create your own)
shade
Wear clothing that covers
your body
Use sunglasses and wide
brimmed hats
Apply sunscreen with
SPF15 or higher
Use these precautions on
cloudy or overcast days
as well.
Did you know???
Year-round sun protection is important
The sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can
penetrate many types of clothes?
It can also go through automobile and
residential windows?
It can damage your eyes, contributing to
cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid
cancers?
When you're on snow or ice, your face and eyes
are at almost twice the risk of UV damage
because of reflected glare?
The American Cancer Society estimates 8,790
deaths from skin cancer in 2011
Risk factors that increase the
chances of skin cancer…
Unprotected exposure to UV radiation
Fair complexion
Family history
Multiple or atypical moles
Severe sunburns as a child
What are the signs of skin
cancer?
Any change on the skin, especially in the size or
color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth
or spot, or a new growth
Scaly-ness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the
appearance of a bump or nodule
The spread of pigmentation beyond its border
such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge
of a mole or mark
A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or
pain
Sun Exposure Quiz
1. Wear protective clothing that serves as a barrier between
the skin and the sun.
2. Use a sunscreen with sun protection factor of 15 or more if
outdoor s during the midday.
3. Melanoma incidence has been steadily rising, affecting
people of all ages.
4. Farm workers are continually at risk of developing skin
cancer of the head, face, ears, or neck.
5. Skin cancer cannot be associated with a single event,
such as a painful sunburn, but rather with the progressive
changes in the skin's makeup over years of sun exposure.
T F
T F
T F
T F
T F
Answer Key
1. T
2. T
3. T
4. T
5. T