Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the US. The main cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Most people are conscious of these harmful effects of sun exposure.
Reducing your risk for skin cancer includes covering yourself with high SPF (sun protection factor) sunscreens and avoiding midday sun. While there are still many sun worshipers out there, most people are now trying to limit their exposure.
Experts suggest the following:
Despite this, the sun does have certain health benefits. It can enhance your mood, protect against certain diseases, and boost your level of vitamin D. For most people, the key may be to balance the level of sun exposure between getting just enough sunlight without complete avoidance.
Ultraviolet rays from the sun are the main cause of skin cancer. Where you live may also be a risk factor. For instance, one study found that women who live in states with a higher level of UV rays from the sun had an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma. States with a higher amount of UV rays included Connecticut, Indiana, Arizona, California, and North Carolina.
The warmth and light generated by the sun can enhance your feeling of well-being. Sun exposure can also help prevent seasonal affective disorder, a condition that results in bouts of depression in the late fall and winter, when exposure to sunlight is reduced.
Furthermore, the sun triggers your skin to synthesize vitamin D. While vitamin D is found in foods, including fortified milk and cereals, cod liver oil, and certain fish, many people do not get enough of it from foods, so the sun provides most people with their vitamin D requirement. The catch is that sunscreen blocks the production of vitamin D.
With 10-15 minutes of sun exposure to the face, arms, hands, or back without sunscreen at least 2 times per week, most people can get an adequate level of vitamin D. However, people who live in northern or cloudy climates during certain times of the year may not be able to synthesize enough vitamin D from the sun.
Adequate levels of vitamin D prevent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults (both are diseases that weaken bones). In addition, vitamin D may help maintain a healthy immune system, promote normal cell growth, and prevent osteoporosis.
Researchers do not yet know for sure, but some propose that increased levels of vitamin D associated with sun exposure may also have anti-cancer effects. In laboratory studies, vitamin D has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and induce death of cancer cells.
Until there is enough evidence to make solid recommendations, the best advice is to use your own good judgment and talk to your doctor. Weigh your own personal risks versus benefits of moderate sun exposure and decide on a safe amount of sun for you. While anyone can get skin cancer, people with fair skin, light-colored eyes, blonde or red hair, a tendency to burn or freckle, and a family or personal history of skin cancer are at higher risk.
Safe and consistent sun protection is very important. Since the damaging effects of the sun start early in life, it is important to begin practicing sun protection in childhood.
American Academy of Dermatology
National Cancer Institute
Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Dermatology Association
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116909/Cutaneous-squamous-cell-carcinoma. Updated December 28, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Dietary supplement fact sheet: vitamin D. Office of Dietary Supplements website. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional. Updated February 11, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Melanoma. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115302/Melanoma. Updated June 27, 2017. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Seasonal affective disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114880/Seasonal-affective-disorder. Updated January 17, 2017. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Skin cancer. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/skin-cancer.html. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Skin cancer. American Academy of Dermatology website. Available at: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Skin cancer prevention. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-prevention-pdq. Updated June 21, 2017. Accessed July 13, 2017.
Last reviewed July 2017 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael Woods, MD, FAAP Last Updated: 7/13/2017