You're Not Too Young!!

From MedHeadlines.com:

The most lethal form of skin cancer is on the rise in American women aged 15 to 39, according to data provided by the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, operated by the National Cancer Institute. The number of cases of melanoma, the form of skin cancer in question, has risen in young women by as much as 50% between 1980 and 2004. Authorities suggest the increasing popularity of tanning salons may be one reason for the dramatic increase in this cancer.

Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment-producing cells of the skin and the American Cancer Society estimates 62,480 new cases will be diagnosed this year, accompanied by 8,420 deaths associated with it. Exposure to the UV rays from the sun and tanning salons is the most risky factor associated with the disease but other factors contribute. People with the fairest skin tones are most at risk but people of all races and with all skin tones are susceptible to the disease.

Analysis of the SEER data revealed an increase in melanoma cases from 9.4 to 13.9 per 100,000 between 1980 and 2004 in young women between the ages of 15 and 39. Melanoma rates among young men of the same age range remained stable, at 7.7 cases per 100,000. Tanning salons are more popular among young women than young men and young women are also more likely to spend time tanning in direct sunlight, too.

Some researchers feel the rising rate of melanoma may be, in part, due to the improved methods of detection in recent years but many of the cancers included in the study were later-stage cancers. When caught early, cancerous lesions are thin but they thicken as the disease progresses. The earlier melanoma is detected, the better the chances for a cure.

To provide the best protection against developing melanoma, it is best to avoid sun exposure when it is most intense, between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Protective clothing and rigorous use of a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher is also recommended. Perhaps more important is to refrain from active tanning whether it takes place directly in the sun or in a tanning salon.

IT CAN HAPPEN AS YOUNG AS 15, FOLKS!!!