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.

New technology enables a disposable wristband to read the amount of ultraviolet ( UV ) radiation to which you are being exposed.

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.

Colorful peppers, tomatoes and watermelon aren’t just summer treats, they actually protect your skin from the harsh effects of the sun.

The caffeine in coffee as well as in tea, soda and chocolate may be responsible for lowering the risk of Basal Cell Carcinoma ( BCC ).

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.

Aspirin therapy for skin cancer has been suggested by a recent study to reduce the incidence of some skin cancers.

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.

Everything you needed to know about sunscreen with guidelines from the FDA.

The news has been confusing in the past but the FDA is offering new rules to ensure that we get the protection we need and the protection level we pay for.

The FDA announced that it is giving sunscreen manufactures six months to comply with regulations meaning that the changes won’t be in stores this summer.

Key fixes: Sunscreens will be labeled “water resistant” (as opposed to waterproof or sweatproof); they can no longer be called “sunblocks” (as it overstates their effectiveness); and they can no longer claim to provide instant sun protection or to last more than two hours without reapplication.
On top of that, sunscreens can be labeled “broad spectrum” only if they protect equally against UVB (the main culprit of skin cancer) and UVA rays, which cause aging.

Read the whole article for advice from dermatologists.

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Summer is just around the corner and the temptation to tan is, too.

Whether tanning salon or natural rays it seems that you are putting yourself at risk for melanoma.

Women ages 18-35 are more likely to get this cancer than they were 40 years ago.

The good news is that mortality rates from skin cancer are lower today but you can still be left disfigured from the disease.

“Sunscreen” is the mantra for summertime healthy skin!

Skin cancers constitute nearly half of all new cancers in the United States, with more than 3.5 million new cases annually.

In the past 3 decades, melanoma-related mortality has risen in the United States by 690%.

The scientific case against tanning beds is strong. Of note, a recent study linked tanning-bed use during adolescence and early adulthood with a 2-fold increased risk for melanoma (Int J Cancer. 2011;128:2425-2435). A study of nearly 1200 melanoma patients presented at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting provided even more convincing evidence linking indoor tanning with invasive cutaneous melanoma, as reported by Medscape Medical News.

Nearly 26 bills intended to limit tanning bed use in the U.S have been vehemently challenged by the tanning bed industry. Nearly all were defeated.

Public safety, once again, takes a back seat to special interest.

Vitamin A may guard against melanoma, especially in women.

This is great news for those who at risk to skin cancer due to genetics or lifestyle, offering another tool in the arsenal against cancer.

There are many great food sources from which to get vitamin A including but, not limited to, sweet potatoes, carrots, beef liver, and more.

Supplements can be effective, as well

Melanoma is the sixth leading cause of cancer in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. About 76,000 cases of melanomas will be diagnosed this year, based on recent estimates.
In the study, researchers examined about 69,000 men and women, and after about six years, 566 had developed melanoma.
Among the 59,000 people in the study who had never taken vitamin A supplements, there were 506 cases of melanoma, while among the 5,800 people who were currently taking it and had used it regularly over the past 10 years, there were 28 cases.

Warnings against sun exposure have overshadowed the risk of skin cancer caused by tanning beds.

Indoor tanning beds were officially classified as a human carcinogen in 2009 as are cigarettes and asbestos.

The findings indicate that frequent tanning-booth exposure will increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Basal cell carcinoma, a slow-growing cancer, has traditionally been a disease of middle age. But it’s been appearing with increasing frequency in people under 40, especially in women — a demographic that also happens to like indoor tanning — suggesting a link. So researchers at the Yale School of Public Health sought to study the association.