The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 06, 1995, Page 6, Image 6
6
W? V ' i . Skin
C
If you have ski?
Staff Reports
ebbie Fine was a pre-med stu
Ddent looking forward to her
sophomore year in college when
she found out she had skin cancer.
Debbie's younger sister,
Stephanie, remembers the day
the skin cancer was diagnosed.
"It was unbelievable,"
Stephanie said. "Debbie looked and felt
fine, yet after one visit to the dermatologist
she was given only two months to
live."
At age 21, Debbie Fine died of malignant
melanoma, the most deadly form
of skin cancer. This year, the number of
cases of melanoma is expected to reach
34,100; about one American an hour will
die of the disease.
What Debbie and her sister didn't realize
at the time was that Debbie's fair
skin, unusual moles and family history
of melanoma put her at high risk for developing
the disease.
"As children, we spent most of our
summers in the sun without adequate
protection," Stephanie said. "At that time,
we didn't know how dangerous it was.
Now we know more and can take precautions
to help prevent this awful disease.
I've also learned what signs to look
for and how to keep a watchful eye on
my own skin."
Melanoma is more common than any
other type of cancer among people between
25 and 29 years old. This isn't sur
prising when you leam that the hazards
of sun exposure are cumulative, and half
of most people's lifetime of sun exposure
Melanoma is more conon tin anj other tjj
29years old TbisisD'tsinprising when joule
cumulative, and half ofiosl people's lifet
So
y
A
lancer
i, you 're at risk
occurs by age 18.
But skin cancer can be cured if detected
early and - here's the best news skin
cancer is one of the easiest cancers
to detect. By examining your skin from
head to toe, you just might save your life.
Skin self-examination involves periodically
looking over the skin for any
changes in the size, color, shape or texture
of a mole; the development of a new
mole or any other unusual changes in
the skin. Any of these signs should be reported
immediately to a dermatologist
or personal physician.
In addition to self-examination, the
American Academy of Dermatology and
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention recommend the following precautions
to reduce the risk of developing
skin cancer
Avoid "peak" sunlight hours -10
a.m. to 4 p.m. - when the sun's rays are
most intense.
Apply a sunscreen with a Sun Protection
Factor (SPF) of at least 15 about
15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors,
and reapply it every two hours; especially
when playing, gardening, swimming or
doing other outdoor activities.
Wear protective clothing, including
a hat with a brim and long-sleeved
shirt and pants, during prolonged periods
of sun exposure.
"I used to love the look of a tan, but
that was before I knew the consequences,"
Stephanie said. "I still like to spend time
outdoors, but Fm smarter about it. I take
steps to try to prevent what happened
to my sister from happening to me or
anyone else I care about."
le of tancer among people between 25 and
am that the hazards ofsun exposure are
ime of sud exposure occurs br aoe 18.
Dexte
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1995
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Know the risks befo
College Press Service
There are people who find the
sun just too good to leave behind,
and a Wake Forest University
professor said it could
be a deadly addiction.
"People know that, in the
short run, our culture admires
a tanned appearance," said
Mark Leary, a professor of psychology
at Wake Forest University in WinstonSalem,
in an interview with "The Charlotte
Observer." He recently completed
his third study of diehard sunbathers.
"They may say, T know in the long
run this is not good for me, but in the
short run I am very motivated to be physically
attractive and I am willing to go
ahead and take the risk.'" Leary said.
Leary began his studies four years
ago after noticing a friend's behavior at
a conference in Nags Head. Even though
the friend had a scar on her arm where
she'd had skin cancer removed, she still
spent hours on the beach and came to
meetings with a sunburn.
" 1 know Fm supposed to stay out of
the sun,'" he recalls her saying," hut I
just can't stand how I look without a
tan.'"
Leaiys studies focused on Caucasians.
He found that people concerned about
making a good impression on others are
at greater risk for skin cancer.
Those findings hit home for Linda
Anderson.
Two years ago, she had a precancer"I
gel a lot of comments about how bad i
people. My husband would love me if 1 was
makes me fei
r.
alsa.
vet back h
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itlOTl fee.
ta fTSjiTil
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Time
re taking on the sun
ous lesion removed from her face. Two
other spots on her neck and shoulder
have been treated with cream. Her
bronzed skin is drying out.
Still, Anderson continues to get all
the sun she can at the beach and next
to a pool.
"I know there are dangers," said Anderson,
43, the assistant fitness director
at the Central YMCA in Charlotte.
"I do it because it makes me feel a little
healthier. It just makes me feel better."
"This kind of tanning is some kind of
manifestation of obsessive-compulsive
tendency," Leary said. "If s like they're
tan insatiable."
Anderson works on her tan all year
long, either outdoors or in tanning beds,
but she says if s not out of concern for
others' opinions.
"I get a lot of comments about how
bad it is for you," she said. "I don't do it
because of other people. My husband
would love me if I was 50 pounds overweight
and bald. A tan just makes me
feel healthier."
In recent years, movie stars like
Madonna and Kim Basinger have tried
to bring back the allure of lily white skin,
popular among women in the 19th century.
"If you had more and more highly attractive
people of both genders making
statements like that," Leary said, "it
might move in the other direction."
il is lor yon I don't do it because of other
50 pounds overweight and bald. A taa just
tlhealler."
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