her kinds of cancers that may affect the skin include cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system, and Kaposi’s sarcoma. Melanoma is the fastest-growing type of cancer, affecting about 32,000 Americans in 1993. The skin cancer is triggered by UV rays from the sun and is signaled by the growth or appearance of an irregular more. If caught early, melanoma is completely curable with the mole’s removal. However, the cancer can and will spread if not caught early. Developing skin cancer is at least a two-step process, involving initiation and promotion of malignant growth. Studies have shown that UV harms a mechanism for repairing cell damage. Once the repair system is impaired, cells become increasingly vulnerable to injury. Subsequent UV exposures make it worse, and can initiate malignancy. After UV exposure, the repair mechanism normally directs damaged cells to commit suicide. That is why skin peels after a sunburn. However, previously damaged cells with a malfunctioning repair system escape this process. Genetic damage accumulates as normal cells die and abnormal ones survive. It’s been determined that skin does not have to be burned to be damaged, and such damage accumulates with chronic, everyday exposure. Two types of UV radiation reach the earth, UVA and UVB. Both contribute to skin damage, including skin cancer. There are no "safe" UV rays. But the SPF sunscreen numbering system was devised as a guide to protect against sunburn, which is caused mostly by UVB rays. Because sunscreens allow one to stay out in the sun longer without burning, exposure to UVA rays is increased, and many sunscreens don’t protect against these rays. While sunscreens protect against sunburn, they don’t necessarily prevent cancer. If one uses sunscreens to spend more time in the sun, the skin could collect about the same total exposure to damaging radiation. This is why it...
