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Causes of Skin Cancer
What are the causes of skin cancer?
Although there are other contributing factors, including heredity and
environment, sunburn and UV light damage the skin, and this damage can
lead to skin cancer. Most people receive 50 percent of their lifetime exposure to the sun
by 18 years of age.
What does tanning do to the skin?
Tanning is the skin's response to UV light -- a protective
reaction to prevent further injury to the skin from the sun. However, it does not prevent
skin cancer.
What are risk factors for skin cancer?
- heredity - people
with a family history of skin cancer are generally at a higher risk of developing the
disease. People with fair skin, and a northern European heritage, appear to be most
susceptible.
- environment - due to a reduction of
ozone in the earth's atmosphere, the level of UV light today is higher than it was 50 or
100 years ago. Ozone serves as a filter to screen out and reduce the amount of UV light
that we are exposed to. With less atmospheric ozone, a higher level of UV light reaches
the earth's surface.
Other Factors:
- multiple nevi (moles) or atypical nevi.
- occupational exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds,
or radium.
- elevation - ultraviolet light is
stronger as elevation increases (because the thinner atmosphere at higher altitudes cannot
filter UV as effectively as it does at sea level).
- latitude - the rays of the sun are
strongest near the equator.
- cloud cover - places with regular cloud
cover may actually reduce UV -- resulting in a 50 percent lower level of UV light.
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