Researchers from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, last month, showed in a paper that tiny defects in the bulbs can let through UV light that can damage skin cells and lead to cancer.
The phosphorus coating inside the bulb contains the dangerous UV light rays, however, the curly shape of the bulbs creates opportunity for cracks in the coating allowing harmful rays to escape.
The researchers’ data, published in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology, is preliminary, and based on experiments in a lab. In other words, there aren’t any known cases of sunburn from light bulbs yet. The researchers say it’s also not that hard to avoid the dangerous rays; they recommend putting the light behind glass or keeping a few feet away from the bulb.
While there is no need to panic it is simply one more thing to consider when trying to keep your family safe.
In addition to sunscreen, the “UV Dosimeter” let’s you know when you’ve spent too much time in the sun; even with SPF protection.
At .15 cents per bracelet it is an affordable way to protect from yourself skin damage and skin cancer.
The wristbands contain an acid-release agent and a dye that work in concert to pick up UV light and then change color depending on the levels of radiation detected. Different bands will be tailored for people of varying skin types, who have different levels of UV tolerance. The band made for fair-skinned and fair-haired types will change color faster than bands made for darker-complected people.
In the U.S., skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, with more than 3.5 million cases diagnosed each year. Sunburn or overexposure to the sun is a major risk factor for developing skin cancer, and Intellego is betting that the worldwide market for the new wristband will be substantial.
A twenty year study has shown an inverse relationship between coffee drinkers and those who develop BCC.
“These results really suggest that it is the caffeine in coffee that is responsible for the decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma associated with increasing coffee consumption,” Jiali Han, associate professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston as well as the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “This would be consistent with published mouse data, which indicate caffeine can block skin tumor formation. However, more studies in different population cohorts and additional mechanistic studies will be needed before we can say this definitively.”
Along with sunscreen, limiting sun exposure and regular check-ups, caffeine could be an enjoyable way to help prevent skin cancer.
Study researcher, Sigrún Alba Jóhannesdóttir of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark has found that aspirin and other similar anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen can lessen the risk of three major types of skin cancer
People who took NSAIDs did not seem to benefit from a reduced risk of developing basal cell carcinoma in general, although they did have a 15 percent and 21 percent reduced risk of developing this type of cancer on less-exposed sites (body areas other than the head and neck) when they took them long term or at high intensity, respectively.
Low incidence of side affects, affordability and availability make aspirin a promising tool in fighting one of the leading cancers.
Sunscreen, reduced time to sun exposure and a diet rich in vitamin A have also been shown to reduce skin cancers.
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This blog is for consumers of health care and medical services. Basically, it’s for everyone. For health issues you should always see a doctor or qualified medical professional - we are not dispensing medical advice. You should, however, be an educated consumer, so we offer information to help you start the process to become educated and to ask important questions. There are many excellent resources on the web, along with all sorts of conflicting opinions and advice. The key is to use a wide variety of resources to learn and access information, so you can ask the important questions when you are with your doctor or health professional.
