Sunbathing safety urged

It is the epicenter of sunbathing in Charleston and sure to make every dermatologist and skin cancer survivor cringe as they pass.

In the past few weeks, Marion Square has been dotted with students from the College of Charleston who are shedding most of their clothes to bask in the bright rays of spring.

Among dozens of students on a cloudless early afternoon last Wednesday were a group of rising sophomores — Calli Nicoletti, Chelsea Price, Katie Borges, Brittany Thomson and Ally Hipps — who were chatting away when approached about being interviewed for a story on sun protection and skin cancer.

They let out a combination of laughs and groans.

"My mom gets on me all the time," says Price.

As a group, they were well-aware of the risks of sun damage, from wrinkles to skin cancer. While they wore sunglasses and varying degrees of sunscreen (from SPF 4 to 45), none wore hats. And at 1:30 p.m., they were not avoiding the most intense hours of sunlight nor sitting near the shade.

They agreed that being in the sun is relaxing, a particularly nice stress relief during exams, and that the park offers a place to meet friends and socialize. They added that they feel "healthier" after a day in the sun.

"You can't worry about too many things," says Thomson. "I might as well tan and be hot when I'm young."

'Melanoma Monday'

They are ideal illustrations of where the nation stands on the issue, says Dr. Bruce Thiers, chairman of the Medical University of South Carolina's dermatology department.

"People know the dangers. The word is out," says Thiers. "It's like smoking. There's not one smoker who doesn't know that smoking is bad. ... You can't force people to change their behavior."

Also like smoking, Thiers says, young people, especially teens and those in the 20s, are particularly vulnerable to ignoring warnings and not taking precautions.

With today designated as "Melanoma Monday," which seeks to remind people of sun safety, those simple precautions are worth repeating: Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; seek out shade whenever possible; wear protective clothing, a broad-rimmed hat and wrap-around sunglasses; and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 at least 30 minutes before going outside and reapplying it every two hours. Those with a family history of skin cancer, or who have had skin cancer, should have an appointment with a dermatologist every year.

"People don't have to become hermits," says Thiers. "They just need to exercise common sense."

Pinpointing risk factors

While those precautions seem repetitive, there is some new research on the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, from the New York University Medical Center, where professors screened data from American Academy of Dermatology findings from 2001 to 2005.

The study group, led by Dr. Darrell Rigel, found the following factors associated with melanoma detection: a history of blistering sunburns as a teenager; red or blond hair; marked freckling of the upper back; a family history of melanoma; a history of actinic keratosis, an early stage of skin cancer; and outdoor summer jobs for three or more years as a teenager.

Other previous studies examining risk factors for melanoma have shown correlations between melanoma and a range of associations, such as women and men with a prior history of breast cancer having an increased risk of developing melanoma; higher socioeconomic class being linked to a higher incidence of melanoma because this group may be able to afford more leisure time that could result in more sun exposure; and use of tanning beds is a major risk factor for melanoma.

The other harmful ray

When it comes to the sun's damaging rays, most sunscreens provide information on blocking UVB rays and little to none on UVA rays.

One sunscreen with the highest level of UVA protection in the market came right out of the Lowcountry.

Dr. Karl Gruber, a Trident Medical Center pathologist, was frustrated when his children had irritation with sunscreens. After discovering better sunscreens in Europe, he teamed up with formulators to develop his own broad-spectrum, hypoallergenic sunscreen line, LUCA, three years ago.

"Most sunscreens have inadequate levels of UVA protection, leading to premature aging and increased risk of melanoma," says Gruber, noting that increasingly more melanomas are being found in younger populations.

"Most sunscreens on the market provide inadequate levels of UVA protection, but high levels of UVB protection. This allows one to stay in the sun for multiple hours as opposed to minutes, all the while not sunburning, but cooking oneself with UVA rays."

LUCA is available at Urban Nirvana, Stella Nova and www.lucasunscreen.com.

Vitamin D confusion

One matter that may be undermining sun-safety efforts are studies recommending limited sun exposure for vitamin D, which irks some dermatologists.

Dr. Marguerite Germain of Germain Dermatology in Mount Pleasant says she is asked about the sun and vitamin D on a daily basis. She says reports are misleading or misunderstood.

"I think that sunning to prevent vitamin D deficiency is like smoking to combat anxiety," says Germain. "Vitamin D is important, but you can get it from drinking fortified milk or taking supplements. If you do get it from sun exposure, it doesn't take much sunlight to make all the vitamin D you can use, certainly far less than it takes to get a suntan."

Out of the office

Increasingly, dermatologists are taking the message to the street with outreach programs.

Germain, for example, recently was part of an effort to do free skin cancer screenings at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament last month. Of nearly 100 people screened, 45 percent had lesions that needed a follow-up appointment with a dermatologist.

Other local efforts this sun season include free skin cancer screening and deals at a local spa.

MUSC will offer free skin cancer screenings via the Hollings Cancer Center Mobile Health Unit. Screenings will take place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 13 at North Charleston Wannamaker Park; July 18 at Isle of Palms County Park; and Aug. 8 at James Island County Park. No appointment is needed.

The Spa at Charleston Place is creating the "I Will Reflect" Melanoma Prevention Initiative. The spa will sell an "I Will Reflect" bracelet ($3), which glows purple when the wearer's skin is exposed to dangerous solar rays.

Proceeds from the bracelet, as well as 10 percent of the cost of two luxury "I Will Reflect" treatments, will go to MUSC's dermatology foundation.

Those treatments, a facial ($125) and massage ($140), will include skin checks and sun-safety tips.

And those who wear the bracelet get a 25 percent discount on those treatments. To book one, call 937-8522.