The prolonged use of sunscreen might lead to skin melanoma, according to a new research.
The research carried out by scientists from the British Association of Dermatologists claims there is a certain amount of risks posed by the sunscreen products that are overly marketed, but fail to efficiently protect our skin.
Skin cancer can be avoided by staying in the shade and away from the sun, especially in the middle of the day. Appropriate clothing can also help, the scientists say. Skin cancer is affecting one in five people living in the United States, according to data from the Skin Cancer Foundation.
The British Association of Dermatologists announced that the latest studies on sun-exposure and its links to skin melanoma reveal that most sunscreens available on the market only give protection against two types of ultraviolet light, A and B respectively.
Ultraviolet A rays are causing the most damage. These beams of light are to blame for long-term skin cancer, the most dangerous form of cancer in the United States and the fifth most common in the United Kingdom. Ultraviolet B is responsible for burns that can cause skin cancer. Most sunscreen products are promising protection from both.
Nevertheless, it is still recommended that we don’t expose our bodies to the sun for long periods of time, even if we use these products which could protect us from developing skin melanoma.
The study carried out by the British Association of Dermatologists states that 72 percent of those who participated confirmed that they contacted sunburns last year, in spite of using sunscreen products.
It appears that in light of this study people are not using the right kind or the sufficient amount of sunscreen. At the same time, people believe that using sunscreen enables them to spend much longer amounts of time in the sun.
These misconceptions are increasing the risk of malignant skin melanoma. According to scientists, until further studies are conducted. people are advised not be fooled by miracle promising sunscreens, such as 50SPF, which is a product which filters just one type of ultraviolet light.
Experts also recommend to carefully check the labels of the sun-protecting products people are buying, and make sure they give complete protection from both Ultraviolet rays, A and B. At the same time, researchers ask people to keep in the sun exposure in limits, and not forgetting that sunscreen can only offer a limited level of protection.
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