CEBU, Philippines - More and more people are diagnosed with skin cancer year after year. Researchers believe that most skin cancers could be avoided if we just did more to protect our skin from sunlight. Did you know, for instance, that men get lip cancer far more often than women, suggesting that even the ordinary lipstick protects the lips as effectively as light-duty sunscreen? Still, what amounts to true protection? Do your sunscreen habits measure up?
Take this quiz: Are these statements true or false?
1. A light tan is perfectly fine, as long as I don't get a sunburn. True False
2. A T-shirt will protect my shoulders from sun damage. True False
3. I'm safe driving around with my car windows rolled up. True False
4. I'm more likely to get too much sun when I'm swimming than when I'm sunbathing. True False
5. Growing my hair long is the best way to protect my ears and scalp from the sun. True False
6. For maximum sunlight blockage, I should put on sunscreen before I go outside. True False
7. The higher my sunscreen's SPF (sun protection factor), the better protected I am. True False
1. False. Some perpetually tan people - those who work outside for at least 40 hours a week - do have lower rates of melanoma (skin cancer brought about by too much exposure to the sun), apparently because tan skin protects against the sunburn linked to the cancer. But if you don't work as a park ranger, you raise your odds for getting skin cancer each time you burn or tan. That's because the damage that causes most cancers adds up; ultraviolet light causes cells in the epidermis to reproduce faster, at the same time suppressing the body's immune response to this growth. After decades, the result can be a reddish patch, shiny bump, or pen sore - a tumor.
2. True. A bold-colored T-shirt may have a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 15. That means someone who normally burns in 15 times as long - about 4 hours - before starting to color. But one study did find that wearing a very light-colored or loosely knit shirt let too much light through. Hold a layer of fabric up to a window. If you can see outlines through it, consider changing your shirt.
3. True. Glass windows block the most damaging ultraviolet rays, UVB. But if your car has a sun roof, you're being exposed to UVA rays, which shine straight through horizontal planes of glass.
4. False. Whether you're playing in the water or lounging on a beach chair, the exposure to the sun is the same. But you should use a waterproof sunblock and re-apply it after your dip.
5. False. A full head of hair - it doesn't matter which color - does shield against tumors on the scalp and ears. (Cancer on the tops of the ears is a special risk for anyone with short hair.) but the best defense isn't hair, which can leave many part of your head exposed. It's a wide-brimmed hat.
6. False. For full protection, put on sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving the house. That's how long it takes for sunscreen to bond to the outer layer of your skin.
7. True. For most people, SPf lotion or moisturizer adequately blocks the sun. But watch your skin. If you see signs of sunburn despite being covered with SPF 15, switch to a stronger sunscreen - say, SPF 30 - to get full protection. And put it on generously. It takes two tablespoons to cover an average body size, but in one study beachgoers only put on a third that much.