How does sun tanning cause cancer

But that rush can be dangerous. Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D , and certain groups — like older adults, obese people and people with dark skin — are at higher risk of a deficiency.

Vitamin D is important for promoting strong, healthy bones and has even been linked to lower risks of certain types of cancer. But, Lee said, there are safer and more efficient ways of getting enough vitamin D: namely, taking vitamin D supplements and eating vitamin-fortified foods like some milk and cereal products.

According to the definitive report on vitamin D from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, there is no research to support the idea that you can safely get vitamin D from UV light without also increasing your risk of developing skin cancer.

Fred Hutch is based in Seattle, a city famous for its seasonal gloom. And Seattleites can vouch: There is no sight as glorious after a dark and rainy Northwest winter as a sunny blue sky. On the first warm days of the year, we crawl out of our winter hiding places, burst out of our GoreTex exoskeletons and throw our exposed flesh into the welcome rays. But slap on that sunscreen first.

Getting a sunburn, even infrequently, boosts your risk of melanoma. And they get fried. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends applying a thick layer of a broad spectrum sunscreen that is, one that protects against both UVA and UVB light of at least SPF 15 before going outside, even on cloudy or cool days. Sunscreen should be reapplied after two hours in the sun or after swimming, sweating or using a towel.

It is true that the most common types of skin cancers are not as deadly as many other malignancies. According to the American Cancer Society, 8. The U. In comparison, the biggest cancer killer in the U. However, Cranmer pointed out, while the most common skin cancers aren't as deadly as other malignancies, they can affect quality of life.

The costs are also significant. And some types of skin cancers are more lethal, including melanoma, which more than one out of every 50 Americans will develop at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. In short, Cranmer emphasized, the best practice is just to take steps to prevent skin cancers and not run the risk. Early detection and treatment also save lives from skin cancer, he added. Have you heard these, or other myths, about skin cancer? The second, and more dangerous, type of skin cancer is melanoma skin cancer.

Melanomas can spread to other organs in the body and with 16, people diagnosed each year in the UK, melanoma skin cancer is the 5 th most common cancer in the UK. This includes UV rays from the sun, but also from sunbeds and tanning lamps. UV radiation damages DNA in your skin cells, which can accumulate over time and increase the risk of genetic mutations that cause skin cancer. The more often you get burnt, the more damage is done and the higher the risk of skin cancer.

The best thing to do is to stay out of the sun, cover up when you have to go outside and give your skin time to heal. Drink plenty of water, use cool compresses and pain medication if necessary and see your GP if you think the burn is more severe than can be handled at home. For more advice, please see the NHS website on sunburn. The single best thing you can do for your skin is to never get sunburnt.

Getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple your risk of melanoma — the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Using sun lotion with a high SPF, covering up with clothes, staying in the shade and avoiding the midday sun are all sensible things to do. Check out the NHS website for more tips on sun safety. Tanning beds also send out harmful UV rays and a single session can increase your risk of skin cancer. The WHO puts them in the same category — carcinogenic to humans — as cigarette smoking.

UVB rays — B as in burn — hit the top layer of your skin and cause the typical symptoms of sunburn. They damage DNA and kickstart an inflammatory response, leading to swelling, redness, heat and pain in the affected area. Some of the cells in your skin will also start producing melanin to protect the skin, resulting in a tan.

But any form of tan means that DNA in your skin cells has been damaged, so unfortunately there is no safe amount of tanning. Many sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday tropical sun. It's illegal for people under the age of 18 to use sunbeds. The Sunbeds Regulation Act makes it an offence for someone operating a sunbed business to permit unders to:.

Sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths give out the same type of harmful radiation as sunlight. They can cause your skin to age prematurely, making it look coarse, leathery and wrinkled. A tan is your body's attempt to protect itself from the damaging effect of UV rays. Using a sunbed to get a tan is not safer than tanning in the sun.

Prolonged exposure to UV rays increases your risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.