L ACKMEDSOC.ORG * LUZERNEMEDSOC.ORG Feature ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT mericans worshipped the sun for decades. Bronzed skin symbolized leisure and good health. Soaking up rays was one of our favorite pastimes and we relaxed unprotected on glistening beaches listening to the waves crash upon the shore as sunlight beat down on us. Come nightfall, a glance in the mirror revealed the payoff of a day's "work," the suntan. Education brings change. Many more of us now realize that the sun's ultraviolet rays damage the skin's elastic and collagen tissues, leading to unsightly skin lines and wrinkles. The end result is premature aging and, for some, skin cancer. Each year, nearly two million cases of skin cancer are detected in the United States. Ultraviolet light is responsible for the majority of skin cancers. Sun Protection: How to Remain Safe in the Sun Some clinicians urge the avoidance of all nonessential sunlight whenever possible. Others are a bit more lenient and recognize the salubrious effects of the sun on health and psyche. Benefit vs. detriment are debated in scientific and lay literature with the latter view decidedly trending upwards. Six different skin types are defined. The lower your skin type number, the greater the risk of developing significant damage from exposure to sunlight or indoor tanning. SKIN TYPE SUNBURN & TANNING TRAITS 1. Sensitive Always burns easily; never tans 2. Sensitive Always burns easily; tans minimally 3. Normal Burns moderately; tans gradually 4. Normal Burns minimally; always tans well 5. Insensitive Rarely burns; tans profusely 6. Insensitive Never burns; deeply pigmented N E PA 10 VITAL SIGNShttp://www.lackmedsoc.org http://www.LUZERNEMEDSOC.ORG