Live Smart: Health and Safety Activities for Youth Clubs

Bulletin 907

Sunning Sensibly

YOU WILL TEACH CLUB MEMBERS

What skin cancer is and who it affects. Practical ways to decrease skin cancer risks.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

A variety of hats with varying degrees of sun protection (i.e., ball cap, cowboy hat, wide- brimmed straw hat, bike helmet, etc.)

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Ask club members: How many of you know of someone who has been treated for skin cancer?

Ask club members: How many people do you think are treated for skin cancer every year?

Tell club members: More than one million people are treated every year for skin cancer. This makes skin cancer the most common cancer in the United States.

Ask club members: Who gets skin cancer?

Tell club members: Anyone with skin can get skin cancer!! However, people who spend a lot of time in the sun without some form of protection are at the greatest risk. Skin cancer is also more common in people who have fair skin and blond or red hair.

WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW?

Tell club members: Your skin has a very important job it helps to keep your body temperature constant and protects your body against light, injury, and infection. The skin has three layers. The inner-most layer is called the sub-cutaneous; the middle layer is the dermis; and the outer layer is the epidermis. Each layer is made up of tiny units called cells.

Ask club members: Which layer, the subcutaneous, dermis, or epidermis, do you think is affected by skin cancer?

Answer: All types of skin cancer affect the outer layer or epidermis.

Ask club members: Can anyone tell me what causes skin cancer?
Answer: Ultra-violet light, sometimes called UV radiation, is the main cancer-causing agent. This can be in the form of direct light from the sun, or even artificial light from tanning beds and heat lamps. Other causes include X-rays and exposure to strong chemical compounds. A family history of skin cancer increases the chances that you might get it, too.

Ask club members: So, if you can get skin cancer from exposure to sunlight, what can be done to decrease your risks?
Answers may vary. Some possible suggestions might be wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants while out of doors, wearing hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and staying inside. These are all good answers.

Tell club members: The best way to protect against skin cancer is to wear protective clothing, such as hats, pants, and long-sleeved shirts while you are outside. Even on cloudy days you can be exposed to UV radiation. Also, try to avoid being outside between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. because this is when UV rays from the sun are the strongest. Always wear sunscreen.

Ask club members: Do all sunscreens offer the same protection?
Answer: No, sunscreens vary in the amount of protection they provide. Every bottle of sunscreen should have an "SPF" clearly marked. The higher the "SPF," the more protection the sunscreen supplies. Look for sunscreen labeled "broad spectrum."

Ask club members: If I put on sun screen with an SPF of 15, will it last longer than one with an SPF of 4?

Answer: No, all sunscreen will last about two hours. It is washed off when swimming and sweating, so it is important to apply sunscreen more often when doing either of these activities.

Tell club members: Your skin is the largest organ in your body make sure you keep it healthy!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Ask for volunteers to model the hats. Ask club members which ones they think offer the best protection from the sun.

Cowboy or wide-brimmed straw hats	-	offer the most protection since they cover the face, neck, and ears
ball caps	-	protection over face, but the tops of your ears and neck are exposed
bike helmets	-	no brim over face, and no coverage over the ears and neck

Tell club members: If you wear hats that do not offer full protection, apply sunscreen to exposed areas. Many ball players, gardeners, and farmers who wear ball caps have moles on the top of their ears and back of their neck indicating excess sun exposure.

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