Australian teens expose themselves to the sun too much and thus run the risk of skin cancer.
They spend excessive time in the sun, but forget to protect themselves, according to new Cancer Council research.
Skin Cancer - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells. It can develop due to a continuous exposure to sun over the years.
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells. It can develop due to a continuous exposure to sun over the years.
Announcing the results Cancer Council Australia CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said that while the research showed adults were behaving more responsibly and burning less, teens weren’t absorbing the SunSmart message as effectively.
“One in four teens is still getting sunburnt on a typical summer weekend, compared with just 14 per cent of adults,” Professor Olver said. “Adults are clearly getting the message, but we need to more effectively target younger people.
“More than 430,000 Australians get skin cancer and 1600 Australians die from it each year, yet most skin cancer is preventable simply by being SunSmart.”
Chair of Cancer Council Australia’s National Skin Cancer Committee, Craig Sinclair, said fewer teens were deliberately seeking a tan, but were still spending too long in the sun without adequate protection. “Fewer adults are outdoors during peak UV (down from 73 per cent in 2003-04 to 67 per cent), but teens are out in large numbers (82 per cent),” Mr Sinclair said. “Only 4 per cent wear a wide-brimmed hat, compared to 24% of adults.
''Among teens who saw media reports about Vitamin D, 17 per cent said the reports made them think they needed to go out in the sun more without protection, in order to get enough Vitamin D''.
Australasian College of Dermatologists Honorary Secretary, Dr Stephen Shumack, said skin cancer in young people was more common than thought. “We regularly see the effects of sun damage in young people, with patients in their 20s sometimes requiring disfiguring treatments.''
Source-Medindia
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Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation
Health concerns of Ultra Violet Radiation in humans need to be clearly understood to protect oneself from prolonged exposures to solar radiation. Section explains effects of UV radiation on human body.
Health concerns of Ultra Violet Radiation in humans need to be clearly understood to protect oneself from prolonged exposures to solar radiation. Section explains effects of UV radiation on human body.
