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Australia has the highest incidence rate of skin cancer Staying in the sun for longer than normal consumes the in the world, with over 6,000 melanomas and close to _ skin's natural store of antioxidants that are designed to 300,000 new cases of skin cancers diagnosed each year. protect the skin cells from damage. Once the Most of these cases are considered to be the result of antioxidants have been depleted, the body has lost one fair-skinned people living in the strong solar radiation _ of its defences against the sun's harmful rays creating an that shines on their continent.° overexposure. However, Australia is not the only place in the world Sunscreen use also hinders our second line of with increases in skin cancers, and both squamous cell protective defence: tanning. The melanin (brown and basal cell skin cancer rates have been steadily pigment made by melanocytes in the epidermis) that is increasing over the last few decades. Switzerland, created on exposure to the sun naturally absorbs the despite a nationwide prevention campaign over the last solar energy and provides protection against solar 20 years, has a skin cancer incidence rate among the __ radiation damage."' ighest in Europe.’ Even in Croatia, where more than 70% of the population say they use sunscreens, the The Importance of Vitamin D to Our Health annual incidence of melanoma has increased 300% over Another problem is created because sunscreens block he last 40 years.’ A 2010 article, written to promote the the ability of our skin to perform its essential duty of use of protective clothing to address this growing manufacturing vitamin D in response to solar radiation problem, stated: "Skin cancer incidence in Croatia is | exposure. Vitamin D is a crucial part of our overall steadily increasing in spite of public and governmental health. The promotion of the mass use of sunscreen with measures]. It is clear that [it] the strong message never to be will soon become a major public in the sun without it has led to ealth problem.” an increase in the many disease The statistics do prove the ...sunscreens block states that develop from low increase in skin cancers of all the ability of our skin to vitamin D levels. ypes, and doctors are ° . Vitamin D at an adequate level discussing amongst themselves perform Its essential duty of is essential for proper bone his apparent contradiction of manufacturing vitamin D development as it is necessary increasing sales of sunscreens Q for absorbing calcium as well as paralleling an _ increasing In response to solar for regulating calcium and incidence in skin cancers." radiation exposure. phosphate levels for proper bone formation.” Blocking out and universally revealing with the sun's beneficial rays he increase in skin cancers with consequently lowers the level of ubiquitous use of sunscreen chemical filters is an vitamin D. This results in not only osteoporosis but also example of the law of unintended consequences. This law _ soft bones in newborns and toddlers that lead to a bow- identifies that outcomes from a particular "thought to be — legged or knock-kneed condition (rickets) in children.” good" action, which intervenes in a multi-part system, |The United Kingdom as well as the United States have always generate unanticipated and often undesirable both seen a re-emergence of rickets as a result of their results. populations avoiding being in the sun. Sunscreens are promoted to enable people to stay in Vitamin D is essential in many organs of the body, and he sun 10, 20 or 30 times longer than they normally low levels are associated with type 2 diabetes in adults would, because sunscreen use turns off our natural and with children being born with type | diabetes as well protective red warning light: sunburn on the skin. This as going into seizures.'* Low vitamin D results in promotion has given us a false sense of safety that we | autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's as well as bowel can spend extended amounts of time in the sun without disorders like Crohn's disease.” Vitamin D is also consequences. connected to muscle metabolism. The weakened The portion of the solar radiation spectrum that causes muscles can result in bladder incontinence and weak he sunburn is the ultraviolet B (UVB) band. The first pelvic floors in women, which may increase the number sunscreens only blocked this UVB portion of solar — of Caesarean deliveries that are necessary.” In addition, radiation. They did not block the ultraviolet A (UVA) a deficient vitamin D level can lead to fibromyalgia.” portion, which goes deeper into the lower layers of the To produce enough vitamin D naturally, it is important skin than does UVB and generates both cancerous _ to enjoy the sun sensibly. Sunscreens — Biohazard discusses changes as well as photo-ageing of the skin. This is one the amount of time you need in the sun for of the reasons why skin cancers have increased with manufacturing an adequate level of your own vitamin D, greater use of sunscreens: the body was never getting the —_as well as the appropriate supplemental dosage required ull protection that sunscreen users thought they were to achieve a beneficial level. Vitamin D deficiency is now guarding against. a worldwide phenomenon. What research is continuingly Staying in the sun for longer than normal consumes the skin's natural store of antioxidants that are designed to protect the skin cells from damage. Once the antioxidants have been depleted, the body has lost one of its defences against the sun's harmful rays creating an overexposure. oc. Sunscreen use also hinders our second line of protective defence: tanning. The melanin (brown pigment made by melanocytes in the epidermis) that is created on exposure to the sun naturally absorbs the solar energy and provides protection against solar radiation damage."! the ability of our skin to perform its essential duty of manufacturing vitamin D in response to solar radiation exposure. Sunscreens are promoted to enable people to stay in the sun 10, 20 or 30 times longer than they normally would, because sunscreen use turns off our natural protective red warning light: sunburn on the skin. This promotion has given us a false sense of safety that we can spend extended amounts of time in the sun without consequences. The portion of the solar radiation spectrum that causes the sunburn is the ultraviolet B (UVB) band. The first sunscreens only blocked this UVB portion of solar radiation. They did not block the ultraviolet A (UVA) portion, which goes deeper into the lower layers of the skin than does UVB and generates both cancerous changes as well as photo-ageing of the skin. This is one of the reasons why skin cancers have increased with greater use of sunscreens: the body was never getting the full protection that sunscreen users thought they were guarding against. 30 * NEXUS ..sunscreens block FEBRUARY - MARCH 2012 www.nexusmagazine.com