It’s
important to note that this journal is one of the top-ranked dermatology
journals in the world, established in 1888, publishing high quality papers
to advance the understanding and management of skin. In other words, these
people are serious. This does, however, challenge all we have been taught, and
for people like us, who live in the sunshine, we better take note of what they
have to say.
Confused? You will be
The report
goes on to say, “Despite all the bad press linking sun exposure to skin cancer,
there’s almost no evidence at all to support it. There is, however, plenty of
evidence to the contrary. Over the years, several studies have confirmed that
appropriate sun exposure actually helps prevent skin cancer.
Vitamin
D helps protect you against cancer
Before you
reach for another container of factor 50, think about what this report says
about the power of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that influences
virtually every cell in your body, and is easily one of nature’s most potent
cancer fighters. They stress that if you are shunning all sun exposure, you
are missing out on this natural cancer protection. I did warn you this
is going to challenge all your original conceptions about exposure to the sun.
A brief
walk around your local cosmetics counter and you will see an abundance of sun
protection creams, make up and face cream, and all shouting loudly about the
strength of their protection against the danger of the sun. If this report is
correct, it’s certainly going to upset the manufacturers of sun protection in
all its forms.
What do other specialists say?
Everything
gets more confusing if you look at what other specialists are saying. The
American Cancer Society says “Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is a major risk
factor for most melanomas. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays
The cancer
association goes on to say: “The pattern and timing of the UV exposure may play
a role in melanoma development. For example, melanoma on the chest and back and
legs has been linked to frequent sunburns (especially in childhood). This might
also have something to do with the fact that these areas aren't constantly
exposed to UV light. Some evidence suggests that melanomas that start in these
areas are different from those that start on the face, neck, and arms, where
the sun exposure is more constant. And different from either of these are
melanomas on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or under the nails or
on internal surfaces such as the mouth where there has been little or no sun
exposure”.
Melanoma can occur in areas not exposed to
the sun
Spending time
in the sun without protection increases the risk of melanoma, but the
potentially deadly skin cancer can occur even on sites with minimal sun
exposure, doctors warn. “Melanomas can occur anywhere on the body, not only in
areas that get a lot of sun,” Dr. Kucy Pon told Reuters Health. She said the
most common site in men is the back, while for women it is the leg.
Resident in Portugal for 50 years, publishing and writing about Portugal since 1977. Privileged to have seen, firsthand, Portugal progress from a dictatorship (1974) into a stable democracy.
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One organisation's view (and it would help to provide a link to this one) does not represent the fuller picture of melanoma. I lost my younger brother to this awful cancer, he was a roofer, often working in the sun. There is also evidence of a link with sunbed use and it's incidence is increasing. A potentially dangerous article that might lead people to take risks. A vitamin D supplement is a safer option.
By Angela Roberts from Other on 03 Oct 2022, 08:42
Please provide a citation to the paper described in the article
By Maxine Borcherding from Lisbon on 03 Oct 2022, 09:50
It would be really beneficial to have a link to the source of this information. There is little credibility behind it otherwise.
By Pegalita from Madeira on 03 Oct 2022, 10:27
I'd like to see the actual article. I couldn't find the quote in the BJD, only in an out of print book. Science still shows that the sun is implicated in skin cancer; their is some doubt about whether sunscreens protect enough.
By Teresa Pole-Baker Gouveia from Porto on 03 Oct 2022, 10:42
The requested link. https://irp.cdn-website.com/9bb879df/files/uploaded/The%20Surprising%20Cause%20of%20Melanoma%20%28No%2C%20It%27s%20Not%20Too%20Much%20Sun%29.pdf
By Paul from Algarve on 03 Oct 2022, 11:16
May we have a link to this report? I visited their website and found nothing about this.
By Suzann Deborah Fulbright from USA on 03 Oct 2022, 15:32
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?AllField=Melanoma+&SeriesKey=13652133
By Martyn from Beiras on 03 Oct 2022, 18:51