Can Working Indoors Give You Skin Cancer?

Many skin cancer screenings are held during May, which is Melanoma/Skin
Cancer Detection and Prevention month. To find a free skin cancer screening i
n your area, you can click on the link below. You should note that skin
cancer screenings tend to be rapid and are not a substitute for a full skin
examination by your own dermatologist or physician.

This makes May a good time to spread the word that, despite the persistent
myth, healthy UVB exposure is not the cause of melanoma.

This is why an epidemic of melanoma has broken out among indoor workers.
In fact, indoor workers get three to nine times LESS solar UV exposure than
outdoor workers get, yet only indoor workers have increasing rates of
melanoma -- and the rates have been increasing since before 1940.

In fact, UVB light, which causes your skin to produce vitamin D, is
protective against cancer.


Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Since May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention month, I
thought it would be fitting to bust some of the prevalent myths surrounding
this
disease.

Contrary to what you may have heard, appropriate sun exposure actually
helps prevent the fatal type of skin cancer, melanoma. In fact, melanoma, has
been found to decrease with greater sun exposure, and can be increased by
sunscreens.

One such study discovered that melanoma patients with _higher levels of
sun exposure_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/19/sun-skin.aspx)
were less likely to die than other melanoma patients, and
patients who already had melanoma and got a lot of sun exposure were prone
to a less aggressive tumor type.

While public health officials have been warning that exposure to
ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun increases your risk of developing
melanoma,
an epidemic of the disease has broken out among indoor workers.

These workers get three to nine times LESS solar UV exposure than outdoor
workers get, yet only indoor workers have increasing rates of melanoma --
and the rates have been increasing since before 1940.


Why Would Indoor Workers Have Higher Rates of Melanoma?

There are two major factors that help explain this, and the first has to
do with the type of UV exposure. There are two primary types of UV rays from
sunlight, the vitamin-D-producing UVB rays and the skin-damaging UVA light.

Both UVA and UVB can cause tanning and burning, although UVB does so far
more rapidly. UVA, however, penetrates your skin more deeply than UVB, and
may be a much more important factor in photoaging, wrinkles and skin cancers.

A recent study found that indoor workers may have increased rates of
melanoma because they’re exposed to sunlight through windows, and only _UVA
light_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/31/The-Real-Killer-i\
n-Sunlight--UVA.aspx) , unlike UVB, can pass through window glass.

At the same time, these indoor workers are missing out on exposure to the
beneficial UVB rays, and have lower levels of vitamin D.

As you probably know by now, vitamin D is formed in your skin from
exposure to sunlight. The sun, in turn, does increase genetic damage in your
skin
and can cause skin cancer, but nature has designed a clever system to help
prevent this risk.

Dr. John Cannell, one of the leading authorities on vitamin D and founder
and executive director of the Vitamin D Council, does an excellent job of
_explaining the system in this video_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/22/facts-you-need-to\
-know-about-sunlight-and-skin-cance
r.aspx) but to give you a summary, when vitamin D is produced in your
skin, it goes directly to the genes in your skin where it helps prevent the
types of abnormalities that ultraviolet light causes.

Hence, when you avoid the sun entirely, or slather on sun block whenever
you go out, your skin is not making any vitamin D, and you’re left without
this built-in cancer protection.

So it’s the combination of exposure to UVA light and lower vitamin D
levels that appears to be causing the increased rates of melanoma, and the
indoor workers could clearly benefit from spending some time outdoors in the
sun.


How to Get the Benefits of Vitamin D With Little Risk of Skin Cancer

Aside from protecting your skin from sun damage, optimizing your vitamin D
levels can help you to prevent as many as 16 different types of cancer
along with many other diseases as discussed in this past article, _Vitamin D
-- The Master Key to Optimal Health_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/12/Vitamin-D--The-Ma\
ster-Key-to-Optimal-Health.aspx) .

It’s absolutely tragic that dermatologists and sunscreen manufacturers
have done such a thorough job of scaring people out of the sun -- your optimal
source for natural vitamin D -- because it’s simply essential for your
health.

If you want to get out in the sun to maximize your vitamin D production,
and minimize your risk of malignant melanoma, the middle of the day (roughly
between 10:00am and 2:00pm) is the best and safest time to go.

During this time you need the shortest exposure time to produce vitamin D
because UVB rays are most intense at this time. Plus, when the sun goes
down toward the horizon, the UVB is filtered out much more than the dangerous
UVA.

You just need to be cautious about the length of your exposure. You only
need enough exposure to have your skin turn the lightest shade of pink. This
may only be a few minutes for some if you have a very pale skin.

Once you reach this point your body will not make any additional vitamin D
and any additional exposure will only cause harm and damage to your skin.

Most people with fair skin will max out their vitamin D production in just
10-20 minutes, or, again, when your skin starts turning the lightest shade
of pink. Some will need less, others more. The darker your skin, the
longer exposure you will need to optimize your vitamin D production.

To learn more about sunlight and vitamin D, including why I recommend
getting your levels tested and how to use the sun for cancer prevention, please
set aside an hour to _watch my free lecture on vitamin D_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/16/my-one-hour-vitam\
in-d-lecture-
to-clear-up-all-your-confusion-on-this-vital-nutrient.aspx) .

And remember, spending some smart time out in the sun will optimize levels
of one of your body’s natural defenses against cancer, vitamin D.





Related Links:

_Does Sun Exposure Really Cause Melanoma?_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/24/Does-Sun-Exposure\
-Really-Cause-Melanoma.aspx)



_Facts You Need to Know About Sunlight and Skin Cancer_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/22/facts-you-need-to\
-know-about-sun
light-and-skin-cancer.aspx)


_The Real Killer in Sunlight – UVA_
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/31/The-Real-Killer-i\
n-Sunlight--UVA.aspx)





_Discover the Pain-Easing Benefits of Infrared Light _
(http://store.mercola.com/b/abmc.aspx?b=358&z=1) _Find Out More_
(http://store.mercola.com/b/abmc.aspx?b=358&z=2)


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