happy + healthy
SAVE YOUR SKIN
It’s that time of year when students get ready for summer
and fun in the sun. Unfortunately many teens may head
to the tanning bed to recreate that warm glow. Some may
think going to a tanning bed is safer than being in the
sun, since the exposure time is only about 10 minutes, but
the experts at Children’s of Alabama say the use of
tanning beds is why physicians are treating more and
more young people for skin cancer.
INDOOR TANNING VS. SUNLIGHT
The sun’s rays contain two types of ultraviolet radiation that affect
your skin: UVA and UVB. Tanning beds use UVA light, which
penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB rays. So tanning beds
can cause just as much – if not more – damage as the sun.
TYPES OF SKIN CANCER
Studies show that users of tanning beds have much higher risks of
basal and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types
of skin cancer.
Doctors are seeing more people in their twenties, and even
younger, with serious cases of skin cancer. Among teens and
young adults, there is an eight-fold higher risk among tanning
bed users, due to their exposure to concentrated doses of UV rays.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE SKIN CANCER
Traci Duncan, CRNP, a certified nurse practitioner at
Children’s of Alabama says, “The most important thing is to
know your skin, and be familiar with your moles. Know whether
a mole has undergone any kind of recent change, whether it’s in
size, shape or color.”
SHE SUCCESSFULLY
PLAYED THE SAME
PRANK ON HER
MOTHER THREE TIMES
IN A SINGLE DAY AND
REMAINS CONFIDENT
SHE COULD DO IT AGAIN.
MINIMIZING YOUR RISK
• Avoid the strongest sun of the day—between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 15 or more)
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and cover up with long, loose cotton
clothing if you burn easily.
• Stay out of the tanning salon. The risk of developing
melanoma is eight times greater among people who use
tanning beds regularly.
• Regularly check for moles or any changes on your family’s skin
C H I L D R E N A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY and at
Children’s of Alabama we want to see every child
grow up and live to their fullest potential. That’s why
we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds,
the most skilled hands and the most compassionate
hearts in pediatric medicine.
1600 7TH AVENUE SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233
(205) 638-9100 ChildrensAL.org
Remember, you don’t have to go without a sun-bronzed look.
The new generation of self-tanners and body makeups offer easy,
realistic results at a reasonable price. Just be sure to use a daily
sunblock with an SPF of at least 15 when you go outdoors since
fake tanners don’t protect you against sunburn or sun damage.
For more information on this and other health and safety tips,
visit www.childrensal.org.
www.potentialmagazine.com
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Summer 2016 |
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2/10/15 4:20 PM