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Each quarter, WBAL-TV meteorologist Ava Marie shares insight into how the weather impacts our world. This month, she interviews her colleague Jason Newton as he gears up to cover the big games from the ground in Northern Italy.
We’ve come a long way since the days of baby oil and foil reflectors. Many of us routinely put on sunscreen or wear a ball cap. Yet, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is still one of the most common cancers in the United States. We all know someone affected by it, yet it’s easy to think, “It won’t happen to me.” And then there’s all the money we spend on products and treatments to reverse the cosmetic damage from the sun.
As we look forward to the sunniest time of year, I spoke with Dr. Danielle Baruch, a board-certified dermatologist with Mercy Medical Center in the Baltimore region, to see where we may be letting our guard down.
Why is skin cancer so common?
Baruch says, unfortunately, many of the patients she sees are dealing with skin damage they got decades ago, when they were kids, back when we knew less about the long-term risks.
“I think we are doing better now, as a whole, protecting the little ones, and hopefully it will decrease the instances of skin cancer in the future,” says Baruch.
If you’re concerned about your past exposure, Baruch recommends seeing a dermatologist for a baseline screening. She also emphasizes that it’s never too late to protect your skin.
“Sunscreen has to be applied pretty liberally to actually deliver the protection that’s on the bottle,” she explains.
But what if I just tan, instead of burn?
“There’s no safe way to get a tan,” says Baruch. “When you develop a tan, you’ve already damaged the DNA in your cells.” While a base tan might decrease your chances of future sunburns, she says it has already increased your risk for developing skin cancer.
What about people with naturally darker skin?
Melanin is a natural pigment produced by our cells that determines the color of our skin. Baruch says melanin does provide some protection against ultraviolet radiation, but she still cautions that everyone should be using some type of sun protection to prevent skin cancer, as well as hyperpigmentation and premature aging.
Sunscreen or protective clothing?
Clothing can be a better choice, depending on the activity, especially if it involves water or sweating. “Sunscreen is great, but sometimes it’s not enough,” says Baruch. “It’s so much easier to wear a hat with a brim or a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) shirt, like a rash guard, than having to continuously apply sunscreen.”
I know exactly what she means. One of the worst sunburns I recently got was on a cloudy day at the beach. I started the day with sunscreen and reapplied at least once, but it still wasn’t enough. I didn’t realize how much sun I was getting because I never felt hot. Even a meteorologist can let her guard down when she’s having fun.
During my forecasts, you’ll hear me mention the UV Index, which forecasts the daily risk of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This index is especially helpful because UV radiation is invisible, and it can be deceivingly high, even on a cool or cloudy day. Instead, UV radiation depends on sun angle, elevation, and reflective surfaces like water and sand. Even clouds can reflect UV radiation.
Forecasting a Fry-Free Summer
Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer and the Friday before has been named “Don’t Fry Day.” It’s a clever awareness campaign supported by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. Will you join me in celebrating? It’ll give us an excuse to buy a new hat. Our future skin will thank us.