Applying Sunscreen May Give Sunbathers a False Sense of Security – (08-07-00)



Applying Sunscreen May Give Sunbathers a False Sense of Security

This study suggests that use of sunscreen may increase your risk of melanoma by promoting longer sun exposure periods.

Int J Cancer 2000;87:145-150 Sunscreen use is not associated with a reduced risk of melanoma, according to study results in the July 1st issue of the International Journal of Cancer. The risk is increased, Dr. Johan Westerdahl and colleagues from University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, report, because sunscreens permit longer exposure to the sun. Several epidemiologic studies, including one performed by Dr. Westerdahl’s group in 1995, have suggested an association between sunscreen use and an increased risk of melanoma. Sunscreens are being used incorrectly, according to the team, and the components of sunscreens are not carcinogenic. Rather, it appears that sunscreen use “influence[s] melanoma risk by increasing the amount of UV radiation delivered to the skin,” the authors write. Dr. Westerdahl and colleagues say that these findings “substantiate the hypothesis that sunscreen use, by permitting more time sunbathing, is associated with melanoma occurrence.”

James Bogash

For more than a decade, Dr. Bogash has stayed current with the medical literature as it relates to physiology, disease prevention and disease management. He uses his knowledge to educate patients, the community and cyberspace on the best way to avoid and / or manage chronic diseases using lifestyle and targeted supplementation.







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