Body
& Soul
Skin Cancer Prevention for Touring Musicians
and Crew
May is National
Skin Cancer Awareness month. Many of you start fair and festival tours in
May and may be on uncovered stages, which can leave you vulnerable to sun
damage. MusicBizAdvice.com wants you to be safe, so we've assembled this
list of tips just for you.
Who's vulnerable to
skin cancer?
With our
outdoor lifestyle and depletion of the ozone layer everyone is, but you're
especially vulnerable if you play or work outdoor gigs, tan, play outdoor
sports, hang out by the pool, or walk around between sets during daytime
fair and festival shows...Even more so if you're naturally fair-skinned, a
redhead, or have blue or light-colored eyes.
Does having a tan protect you from skin cancer?
Having a tan (real or fake) does not protect you from skin cancer,
and the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention does not recommend indoor
tanning. African Americans and others with darker skin are a bit less
vulnerable due to the melanin in the skin, but anyone can get skin cancer.
What can I do to prevent skin cancer?
Limiting sun exposure between the hours of 10:00AM and 2:00PM is
recommended because harmful rays are strongest then...not always practical
for crew and performers at fairs and festivals.
Always wear sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an
SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher--even when the weather "looks"
cloudy, because harmful rays are still there. (As someone who works
outdoors, you're getting a lot of sun exposure, and if you've been in the
studio and haven't seen much sunlight for a while, you may be more
susceptible to sunburn.)
Apply sunscreen liberally 15
minutes before sun exposure and repeat every 2 hours. For the average person
most dermatologists recommend about a full shot glass worth for the whole
body.
Sport sunscreen (usually labeled "sweat proof") is recommended if you sweat
a lot onstage, or on hot days. It's especially important that sunscreen you
wear on your face be sweat proof so it won't sting your eyes. (Some members
of our staff who lived in Arizona like Bullfrog brand SPF 45.)
When you're not onstage, wear a hat to protect your scalp. (If you color
your hair, this will help protect that as well.) If you don't like hats,
pretend you're famous and get used to it for when you are.
Skin cancer detection and early warning signs:
With early detection, skin cancer has a near 100% cure rate. Paying
attention to changes or irregularities in moles, freckles, and other
brownish spots on the skin can save your life.
You should be on the lookout for changes and irregularities in symmetry;
most early melanomas are ASYMMETRICAL.
The BORDERS of early melanomas are often uneven or scalloped.
The COLOR of early melanomas is often varying shades of brown, tan, or
black, rather than being an even, solid color. Later them may contain shades
of red, white, or even blue.
Early melanomas are often larger in DIAMETER than non-cancerous moles; up to
1/4" in diameter, or the size of a pencil eraser.
Be especially alert for spots that EVOLVE; any change in a mole should be
checked out.
The Olay website has pictures of cancerous moles to show you what to look
for:
http://www.olaycomplete.com/saveyourskin/uv_you/melanoma.shtml
Make it fun! Grab a friend and inspect each other. Then take your friend to
a real doctor; during the month of May dermatologists are participating in a
"bring a buddy" 2-for-1 skin cancer screening program, sponsored by Olay and
the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery.
To find a participating dermatologist and for more information, check the
Olay website:
http://www.olaycomplete.com/saveyourskin/action/2for1.shtml
Sources: Olay website,
National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention.
Body & Soul Home
Articles and tips in Body and Soul are not to be taken
as medical advice, and consulting with a qualified physician is always
recommended. We know you knew that, but we have to say it. |
