Skin Cancers & COVID-19
- A new hypothesis claims that staying indoors during COVID-19 may lead to more skin cancer diagnoses
- The theory suggests that staying indoors reduces our sun exposure, and possibly increases the likelihood of sunburns if outdoors for an extended amount of time
- It’s still unclear whether this claim has been scientifically proven, but it’s important to note that wearing sunscreen while outside is the best way to prevent skin cancer
"When someone is sheltering at home, their skin is no longer used to the sun," Dr. Mark Reeves, director of the Loma Linda University Cancer Center, told Loma Linda University Health. "Once they go outside for the first time, fall asleep at a park, fall asleep in their backyard, or are just outside too long, they end up getting a bad sunburn due to intense sun exposure. I have seen this time and time again, and this type of relationship with the sun can lead to melanoma."
Read MoreDr. Anna Pavlick explains how sun exposure is linked to melanoma
What Is Melanoma?
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, affecting 100,350 adults annually. A majority of times, the cancer is caused by dangerous, extensive amounts of sun damage to the skin, and can develop from an existing mole or appear as a pink growth on the skin even appearing in places that were never directly exposed to the sun.
Melanoma diagnoses can happen not only from laying out in the sun, but also spending time in tanning beds since you are exposing yourself to the very same ultraviolet rays. Additionally, tanning beds allow the rays to be much closer to the skin roughly 6 to 8 inches away.
Related: Gay Men Get More Skin Cancer The Perils of Tanning Bed Culture
“We know that there is a direct correlation between patients who go to indoor tanning salons,” Dr. Pavlick says in a separate interview. “When you think about it, the UVA, UVB exposure that you get from a tanning salon is about 6 inches from the surface of your body compared to somebody who goes and tans on a beach and the sun is thousands of miles away. So you have to think about the intensity that you’re exposing your skin to when you go to a tanning salon. We know that there is an exponential increase in patients who develop melanomas who have been to tanning salons.
Dr. Anna Pavlick says tanning beds are not a solution to reducing skin damage
How To Protect Your Skin From Cancer
For most of us, it’s impossible to not to be exposed to the sun. So, experts have confirmed wearing sunscreen regularly is the best way to prevent skin damage and helps you decrease your risk of developing skin cancer. However, as we know, there’s way too many sunscreen brands to choose from, but Dr. Snehal Amin, a dermatologist in Manhattan, says it’s important to focus on ingredients rather than brands to determine which sunscreen is the best fit.
Related: Melanoma Awareness: Yes, You Still Need to Protect Your Skin In The Winter
“It’s important to remember that sunscreens are just one way of protecting our skin against sun damage,” says Dr. Amin. “Clothing is an important way to protect against sun damage. In fact, a hat and SPF proof clothing should be your number one forms of sun protection.”
Unfortunately skin damage caused over the years cannot be reversed, but you can decrease your risk of more damage from occurring in the future by limiting your time in the sun and using sunscreen. An Australian study found that by wearing sunscreen daily over a 10-year period, the risk of melanoma was reduced by 50 percent.
Dr. Cecilia Larocca says wearing sunscreen can reduce your skin cancer risk by 50%
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