85% of skin cancers are caused by UV radiation. Overexposure to the sun and other sources of ultraviolet radiation are known to cause harm to the skin, eyes and immune system. The number one preventable risk factor for the most common form of melanoma is overexposure to damaging UVR.
Learn more about Sunscreen click here
Sunlight consists of two types of harmful rays. UVA RAYS go deep into the skin and cause premature skin AGING and wrinkling. UVB RAYS BURN the surface layers of the skin and play a key role in the development of skin cancer.
Cloudy days are not risk-free. Up to 80% of the sun’s rays can penetrate clouds, fog and haze.
Water can reflect and scatter UV rays, increasing your UV exposure by 25%
Fresh white snow reflects up to 88% of the sun’s UV rays, almost doubling a person’s UV exposure. Learn more about winter sun safety click here
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In 2009, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified exposure to UV-emitting tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans.
Sources:
Canadian Cancer Society. Melanoma Overview. Available at: http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/skin-melanoma/overview/.
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press; 2011. Available at: http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D.aspx
National Cancer Institute. What You Need To Know About Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin/.
World Health Organization. Skin cancers – UV Dangers. Available at: ttp://who.int/uv/faq/skincancer/en/index1.html.
“The Association of Use of Sunbeds with Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers: A Systematic Review,” International Journal of Cancer 120, no. 5(2006): 1116 – 1122. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.22453/abstract.
