There is no such thing as a safe tan, but that's a hard sell for public health officials.
The Sudbury and District Health Unit doesn't recommend any form of tanning, whether it's by natural or artificial means.
"Any change in your skin's colour is a sign of skin damage and that's not reversible," says Melanie Martin, a public health nurse with the SDHU's health promotion division.
That message will be delivered Wednesday at a free skin cancer screening clinic being held by Sudbury's only dermatologist, Dr. Lyne Giroux, in collaboration with the Canadian Dermatology Association, along with staff from the health unit.
The event will run from 5-8 p.m. and the first 100 people will be screened. It's the sixth year for the screening clinic and it has "sold out" every year. You can't reserve a spot so it's first come, first served.
Everyone who does attend will be able to pick up pamphlets and brochures about skin cancer. According to recent figures from the Canadian Cancer Society, the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, is one of the fastest rising of all cancers in Canada.
It is expected that 1,050 Canadians will die from melanoma this year and 6,500 new cases will be diagnosed. It is also estimated that 76,100 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in 2014.
The good news, said Martin, is that skin cancer, including melanoma, is one of the most preventable types of cancer. "And the prognosis with early detection is very good."
The main risk factor for skin cancer, about 90 per cent of cases, is ultraviolet radiation from over-exposure to the sun or sources such as tanning beds.
The Government of Ontario passed legislation recently prohibiting the use of tanning beds by anyone under 18, and restricting the advertising and marketing of them, a move the SDHU strongly supported.
The health unit keeps repeating the messaging about the simple steps people can take to protect themselves against the harmful rays of the sun.
It starts with planning outdoor activities before 11 a.m. and after 4 p.m. when UV rays are highest -- three or more -- in spring, summer and early fall.
Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing that breathes and covers your arms and legs.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat, which will protect your neck and ears as well as your head, and wraparound sunglasses that offer both UVA and UVB protection.
Apply a broad-spectrum sun screen with an SPF of 30 or higher generously on exposed skin 15 minutes before going outside. Apply it every two hours or more often if you're swimming, towel drying or sweating.
People are encouraged to seek or create shade with canopies or umbrellas.
Don't think you are protected from UV rays when it's cloudy. They can penetrate cloud cover and burn your skin.
Children less than a year old should be kept out of the sun as much as possible.
Martin advises visiting the Canadian Dermatology Association's website for the signs of skin cancer and how to detect them. If you find any of them, contact your primary care provide for an assessment, and proceed from there.
Go to www.dermatology.ca or www.sdhu.com for more information.
carol.mulligan@sunmedia.ca
The Sudbury and District Health Unit doesn't recommend any form of tanning, whether it's by natural or artificial means.
"Any change in your skin's colour is a sign of skin damage and that's not reversible," says Melanie Martin, a public health nurse with the SDHU's health promotion division.
That message will be delivered Wednesday at a free skin cancer screening clinic being held by Sudbury's only dermatologist, Dr. Lyne Giroux, in collaboration with the Canadian Dermatology Association, along with staff from the health unit.
The event will run from 5-8 p.m. and the first 100 people will be screened. It's the sixth year for the screening clinic and it has "sold out" every year. You can't reserve a spot so it's first come, first served.
Everyone who does attend will be able to pick up pamphlets and brochures about skin cancer. According to recent figures from the Canadian Cancer Society, the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, is one of the fastest rising of all cancers in Canada.
It is expected that 1,050 Canadians will die from melanoma this year and 6,500 new cases will be diagnosed. It is also estimated that 76,100 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in 2014.
The good news, said Martin, is that skin cancer, including melanoma, is one of the most preventable types of cancer. "And the prognosis with early detection is very good."
The main risk factor for skin cancer, about 90 per cent of cases, is ultraviolet radiation from over-exposure to the sun or sources such as tanning beds.
The Government of Ontario passed legislation recently prohibiting the use of tanning beds by anyone under 18, and restricting the advertising and marketing of them, a move the SDHU strongly supported.
The health unit keeps repeating the messaging about the simple steps people can take to protect themselves against the harmful rays of the sun.
It starts with planning outdoor activities before 11 a.m. and after 4 p.m. when UV rays are highest -- three or more -- in spring, summer and early fall.
Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing that breathes and covers your arms and legs.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat, which will protect your neck and ears as well as your head, and wraparound sunglasses that offer both UVA and UVB protection.
Apply a broad-spectrum sun screen with an SPF of 30 or higher generously on exposed skin 15 minutes before going outside. Apply it every two hours or more often if you're swimming, towel drying or sweating.
People are encouraged to seek or create shade with canopies or umbrellas.
Don't think you are protected from UV rays when it's cloudy. They can penetrate cloud cover and burn your skin.
Children less than a year old should be kept out of the sun as much as possible.
Martin advises visiting the Canadian Dermatology Association's website for the signs of skin cancer and how to detect them. If you find any of them, contact your primary care provide for an assessment, and proceed from there.
Go to www.dermatology.ca or www.sdhu.com for more information.
carol.mulligan@sunmedia.ca
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