High School Teens Need to be Smart when it comes to the Sun!

THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR SKIN

The skin is your body’s largest organ

It protects you from the sun and from

infections

THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR SKIN

Human skin is comprised of three layers: Epidermis,

Dermis, and

Subcutis.

Cells in the epidermis, called melanocytes,

produce melanin. Skin color depends on the

activity of the melanocytes in the epidermis.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN TYPES OF SKIN CANCER

Basal Cell Carcinoma 75% of all skin cancers

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

20% of all skin cancers

Melanoma 5% of all skin cancers but

responsible for 75% of skin cancer deaths

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SKIN CANCER FACTS

Skin cancer is the most common cancer but also the most preventable

Childhood and Teenage sunburn is the most common cause of skin cancer

More than 1,000,000 skin cancer cases are diagnosed in the US annually and over 150,000 people die from melanoma each year

Skin cancer fatality rates are higher among African-Americans than other ethnic groups

One in every five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime

WHAT CAUSES SKIN CANCER?

UV radiation causes increased activity in the melanocytes

This increased activity is the cause of freckles, tanned skin and sunburns

Sometimes this leads to changes in cell structure and function, causing cancer anywhere on your body – not only where the sun has burned you.

UV RADIATION

Many types of rays come from the sun: heat rays, visible light, and ……

invisible ultraviolet light or UV radiation!

Two kinds of UV radiation reach the earth:

1) UVA rays – longer rays penetrate skin deeply and cause wrinkling and tanning

2) UVB rays – shorter rays which cause burning of the skin

Tanning and burning of the skin are signs of skin damage!

LIFE WITHOUT SUNSCREEN?

Overexposure to UV Radiation causes:

Sunburn DNA Damage Skin Cancer Premature aging (wrinkles and dark spots) Cataracts Immune system depression

WHAT IS MELANOMA?

The most dangerous form of skin cancer Spreads quickly throughout the body Caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation About 59,580 Americans develop melanoma People of all races and ethnic backgrounds are susceptible

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MELANOMA

Asymmetry of mole or spot on skin (one half does not match the size or color of the other half)

Border irregularity (edges of the mole are irregular, notched, blurred or ragged)

Color changes or variation (brown, black, tan, red, blue, and white) on a single mole

Diameter greater than 6mm (larger than the size of a pencil eraser)

Evolving moles – any changes in size or color – is a sign that the mole could be a melanoma

American Cancer Society “ABCDE Method”

ABCDE’s of Melanoma

SKIN TONE Melanin helps protect the skin against effects of the sun,

such as skin cancers and premature aging. In darker skin, melanin provides a sun protection factor (SPF) approximately equivalent to 13.4, compared to 3.4 in fair skinned individuals.

This discrepancy illustrates why skin cancer is more prevalent in Caucasian people; it is, in fact, the most common type of cancer in the US among Caucasians. Their inherently light skin color and low amounts of melanin leave them vulnerable to the sun’s carcinogenic (cancer-causing) ultraviolet rays. UV light, also emitted by tanning beds/lamps, is, in many cases, the causative culprit of skin cancer in Caucasian America

SKIN CANCER AFFECT PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE…

Skin Cancer is:Highly preventable98% curable when treated in early stagesExtremely preventable

Early Detection and Good SunSmart Behavior are the Keys to avoiding serious illness and premature aging.

AVOID TANNING BEDS

This rise in skin cancer rates happens to

coincide with the growth of indoor tanning,

which was first introduced in the US in the

late 1970s, and is now a $5 billion a year

industry here.2 People who tan indoors are 74

percent more likely to develop melanoma,3

2.5 times more likely to develop squamous

cell carcinoma, and 1.5 times more likely to

develop basal cell carcinoma than non-

tanners.4

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? IT WON’T HAPPEN TO ME

As a teenager I wanted to be tan, but for someone with naturally blonde hair and Fitzpatrick Skin Type 1 — the lightest skin type — a tan isn’t natural or sustainable, especially not in winter living in New Jersey. At 16, I was legally permitted to tan indoors. My parents were against it, but I started tanning anyway, at first weekly, then 2-3 times a week. I ended up tanning up to 16 times a month for approximately 12-15 minutes a session. 

IT CAN’T HAPPEN TO ME…..

A month or two later my mother noticed that

the freckle on my stomach had changed, and

she wanted me to have it looked at. I went to

see a dermatologist, who thought it looked

finem but he did a biopsy, which left an inch-

long scar. I was scared and I convinced myself

that everything would be fine. 

IT DID HAPPEN TO ME…..

Three weeks later the doctor called to tell me that the “freckle” was a melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer. I dropped the phone, and broke down. I had truly believed what I’d been taught by the industry — that tanning prevented certain cancers and that the industry had the documents and scientists to back up these claims. Over the next six weeks I had many doctors’ appointments, three more biopsies for lesions on my breast, leg, and arm — and finally excisional surgery to remove the melanoma, which fortunately was at an early stage, and non-invasive. Today I have a 6-inch scar on my stomach and so much fear. 

WHAT IS TEAM SUNSMART?

The Ray Festa Memorial Foundation (RFMF) created Team SunSmart™ to educate middle school and high school students and athletes about the damaging effects of excessive unprotected sun exposure.

Some scientists estimate that a child who wears sunscreen everyday will cut his or her risk of developing skin cancer as an adult by as much as 70%.

“This is a great idea! I wish we knew when we were kids that we should wear sunscreen – I might not have all of these wrinkles now. I know guys who have had lots of moles removed, so I want to make sure all of the kids today wear sunscreen and put it in their equipment bags so they always have it.”

- Yogi Berra, Yankee Hall-of-Famer & RFMF Advisory Board Member

WE ALL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SKIN

Wear Sunscreen of at least SPF15 every day of the year Sunscreen must say Broad Spectrum (so it protects against both

UVA and UVB rays)o Apply a generous coat onto

your skin – DO NOT rub it – let it soak in.

o Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours or immediately after getting wet from swimming or sweating.

o Cover up with hats, clothing and sunglasses – wear lip balm

PROTECTION FROM THE SUN

PLAYING SPORTS

OR JUST BEING YOU

SELF EXAM

Finding Melanoma Early: How to Check Your Skin

What you'll need:FlashlightTwo small chairs or stoolsHand mirror with a long handleHairbrush or blow dryer for checking your scalp Large wall mirror, preferably full-length, in a well-

lighted area 

Video on how to do a self skin check:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDsH63A0lRQ

TAKE THE QUIZ

QUIZ

1. Which of these factors means you're more likely to get skin cancer?

a) Fair skin

b) Having a relative with skin cancer

c) Numerous moles

d) All of the above

The correct answer is: d. All of the above

All of these conditions can increase your risk of skin cancer. You're also more likely to develop the disease if you live in a hot, sunny place, if you had frequent sunburns as a child, or if you've had skin cancer before.

2. What does melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer usually look like?

a) A large irregular moleb) A rough scaly patchc) A small pearly lumpd) A large red bump

The correct answer is: a. A large, irregular moleAny of these may be a sign of skin cancer, but only the abnormal mole

could signal melanoma, the type of skin cancer that's most likely to grow and spread. If you have an odd-looking mole, give it the ABCDE test: Most melanomas are Asymmetrical, have irregular Borders, are uneven in Color, and have a Diameter larger than that of a pencil eraser, and have a shape that is Evolving. If the mole fits this description, see a dermatologist right away.

3. It's safe to tan as long as you don't burn.

● True or False

The correct answer is: False Sunburn is undoubtedly one of the biggest causes of skin cancer, but a

tan is far from harmless. Tan skin is damaged skin. Every time your skin turns a shade darker, skin cells get damaged by the sun's ultraviolet rays. After many years, that damage can add up to cancer. And by the way, tanning at a salon isn't any safer than doing it the old-fashioned way.

4. Skin cancer is easily curable in its early stages.

● True or False

The correct answer is: TrueExperts say the cure rate for skin cancer would be close to 100 percent

if every person with the disease sought medical care quickly. That's why it's so important to know the signs of skin cancer and be vigilant. Give yourself a monthly skin self-exam in front of a full-length mirror, and use a handheld mirror to check hard-to-see places.

5. Skin cancer only shows up on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun.

True or False

The correct answer is: FalseMost often, skin cancer shows up on the face, arms, neck, and

other places that get plenty of sun, but the disease can strike anywhere. When giving yourself a skin self-exam, don't forget to check regions like the skin between your buttocks or around your genitals.

QUESTIONS?

DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS

What did you learn? What can you do? What are you going to do? How can we help each other?

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Volunteer …work at an event or make phone calls from home Download Playbooks from our website and run your own

programs Tell people about the organization and have them join our

mailing list.

TEAM SUNSMART

If you want to become a Team member to help spread the message, please send an email to info@livesunsmart.org.

We always need help!

FOR MORE INFO

LiveSunSmart.org

Live SunSmart Foundation973 744 3557

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