| Most people said in the survey that they did not using tanning beds (90 percent of the women and 94 percent of the men). Among persons who said they used tanning beds, most (62 percent of woman, 74 percent of men) said it was to get a "base tan" before the summer or a vacation. Dermatologists have spoken out against base tans time and again. Knowledge Gap - Most people said they knew that getting a tan from the sun can damage skin (94 percent of the women and 89 percent of the men.) - More women than men said they knew that childhood sunburns raise the risk of developing skin cancer as an adult (81 percent of women against 70 percent of men). - More women also knew that having five or more sunburns in a lifetime doubles the risk of skin cancer (77 percent of women and 64 percent of men). Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., says the American Cancer Society. Hence, more than a million non-melanoma skin cancer cases and about 59,600 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, says the ACS. The numbers of skin cancer cases are increasing, which may be due to increased exposure to UV radiation from sun, tanning beds, and sum lamps, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Tips To Avoid Sun Damage
The American Academy of Dermatology offers these tips for skin protection from the sun:
• Plan outdoor activities that avoid the sun's strongest rays.
• As a general rule, avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Wear protective covering such as wide-brimmed hats, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts to reduce sun exposure.
• Wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV-ray protection.
• When outdoors, always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or greater, which will block UVA and UVB rays.
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure.
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