Defense against the sun can be one of the best ways to protect the skin and keep it healthy. Below are some facts and statistics relating to skin care and sun exposure that help to illuminate the situation a bit more.
For more information on updates in skin and sun, see “Sunscreen Smarts” by Laura J. Goodman.
- 70% of Americans are aware that sun exposure causes skin damage.
- In 1978, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that sunscreens may help prevent skin cancer.
- The incidence rate for melanoma is growing faster than any other cancer.
- The damaging effects of UV exposure are cumulative. Repeated exposure reduces the skin’s ability to repair itself, and serious skin damage is done years before it becomes visible.
- All skin types are susceptible to UV damage, but types I, II and III in the Fitzpatrick classification scale are most at risk.
- Higher altitudes increase solar radiation exposure.
- One in every three diagnosed cancers is skin cancer, and according to Skin Cancer Foundation statistics, one in every five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
- 88% of people say that they would use sunscreen if they understood the risk of going without protection.
- 75% of physicians indicated patient compliance as the most important factor in achieving sunscreen efficacy.
—Information provided by P&G Beauty’s UV and Sunscreen Research Update
