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Politics & Government

5 Myths About Protecting Your Skin

Anne Arundel County ranks among the top in state for skin cancer rates.

Maelle Booth has a thorough regimen to protect her perfect porcelain skin from sun damage.

No matter how busy her day is, she is never without her wide-brimmed hat and sun block. It is a great habit her mom started shortly after 15-month-old Maelle was born.

“Time for sunscreen,” said mom Laura Graham Booth of Georgetown Grove.

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Little Maelle sits patiently while Booth coats her face, arms, legs and feet with a SPF (sun protection factor) 60 sunblock cream formulated for children.

“I've been slathering my kids up since they were babies, so I think they're just used to it by now,” Laura said of her children Maelle and Dylan, a second-grader at . “We apply sunscreen inside, before we leave for fun outings like the park or the pool, so they know that if they protest, it just delays getting to the fun.”

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Sun protection is a serious matter for the Booth family. Maelle’s paternal grandfather was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma last June and passed away four months later. Laura’s father has had several basal cell carcinomas removed. Laura and her husband Dave see a dermatologist every six months for skin-cancer checks.

“So far we’ve been lucky,” Booth said. “But we both know the possibility is there.”

More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer were reported in the US last year.  Anne Arundel County has 40 percent more cases of melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—than the state average.

About 142 Anne Arundel residents are diagnosed each year, with about 20 deaths, according to the health department.

Susan Glover, a cancer prevention nurse at , has a theory on the county’s high rate of skin cancer.

“We love the water,” she said. “Between boating and water sports, as well as working waterman, there is great exposure to the sun around here.”

Despite the gloomy statistics, nearly all skin cancers are preventable and curable, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Skin cancer is a tumor, or growth, caused by abnormal division of skin cells. The majority of skin cancers are related to over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.

UV rays also come from artificial sources like tanning beds. Glover said 15 minutes in a tanning booth is equivalent to a day of UV exposure at the beach.

Glover and Joanne Ebner, also a cancer prevention nurse at AAMC, spend their working days talking to people about how to stay safe in the sun. They said they frequently come across misconceptions about skin cancer and sun exposure.

“One of the things people forget is that protecting your skin from UV rays is a 365-day process,” Ebner said. “You are exposed to UV rays in the winter as well, and snow reflects the sun right back to your face.”

Other common myths Ebner and Glover encounter:

You need 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure before putting on sunscreen to get enough vitamin D.

False—You should get your vitamin D from a healthy diet and foods or beverages fortified with vitamin D. Unprotected exposure to UV rays is not worth the risk.

The higher the SPF, the less frequently you have to apply.

False—High SPF can give a false sense of security. Regardless of the SPF number, all sunscreens should be thoroughly re-applied every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The SPF number indicates the sunscreen’s UVB ray-filtering strength, not how long the protection lasts.

You don’t need sunscreen if you are under a beach umbrella or sitting in the shade.

False—Water, sand, concrete and other surfaces reflect UV rays so you can be exposed even under cover.

If you have dark skin, you aren’t at risk for skin cancer.

False—People with darker skin color are not immune. While skin cancer rates are higher for light-skinned people, those with dark or black skin can still develop melanoma.

The more expensive sunscreens are better.

Not always—Read the label. Ebner and Glover recommended products with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and an SPF rating of at least 30. Look for the terms “broad spectrum,” “multi spectrum,” or “UVA/UVB protection” on the label. They also recommend getting a new supply every year.

If you still crave bronzed skin, the only safe tan comes from a bottle. Over-the-counter self-tanning lotions or sprays are a risk-free alternative to baking in the sun. And many salons also offer airbrush spray tans.

As for Maelle’s mom, Laura Booth has tried tanning sprays with good results, but doesn’t bother with them these days.

“If my skin is pale, I know I’m doing a good job protecting myself from skin cancer,” she said.

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