Photo courtesy of Metro Creative A rundown of the link between sun exposure and skin cancer can remind readers of the need to exercise caution when heading outdoors in the months to come.

The phrase “get some sun” is heard far and wide between the months of May and September. Many people spend much of their weekends outdoors between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and that means exposure to the sun.

As the mercury rises and more and more people emerge from their winter and early spring hibernation, a rundown of the link between sun exposure and skin cancer can remind readers of the need to exercise caution when heading outdoors in the months to come.

Sun and skin cancer risk

Exposure to the sun is a risk factor for skin cancer. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the primary cause of skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation comes from natural sources, like the sun, but also from artificial sources like tanning beds. The AIM at Melanoma Foundation notes that exposure to the ultraviolet radiation is the main risk factor for melanoma, which the Melanoma Research Alliance notes is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Does past exposure affect my risk today?

AIM at Melanoma notes that cumulative sun exposure and episodes of severe sunburns increase the risk of developing melanoma. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, research has shown that the UV rays that damage skin also can alter a tumor-suppressing gene, giving cells less of a chance to repair before a progression to cancer takes place.

A single blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s risk of developing melanoma later in life, while five or more sunburns more than doubles that risk as well. The damage to skin caused by a sunburn is indeed cumulative, so the more sunburns a person gets, the greater that person’s risk of developing skin cancer becomes.

So is a tan detrimental to overall health?

AIM at Melanoma notes that the tan many people hope to get and keep throughout late spring and summer is detrimental to their overall health. AIM notes that a tan develops when the skin tries to protect itself from UV rays by producing pigment as a protective shield. The more pigment the body produces, the darker the skin becomes. So a tan is evidence that the skin has been damaged by exposure to UV radiation. In fact, AIM notes that each time a person develops a tan, that individual’s risk of developing skin cancer increases.

Spring and summer weather beckons people outside each day. When that call comes, individuals must make an effort to protect their skin from overexposure to the sun.