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Skin Health Science Topic Index

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Does sun exposure cause skin cancer?

Conventional wisdom is that prolonged exposure to sunlight increases the risk of the most common skin cancers (Basal Cell, Squamous, and Malignant Melanoma), especially for fair skinned people. However, the basis for the belief is somewhat indirect, and hampered by the difficulty in conducting long-term studies on humans. This has led some skeptics to doubt the dangers of ultraviolet radiation.

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Is a tan healthy?

Experts and Influencers

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Experts In Science

Scientific American Magazine

Agree

Each year millions of Americans visit tanning salons in search of that "healthy glow." But if you think tanning beds are a safe alternative to sunbathing, think again. The results of a new study, detailed in a report published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that people who use these devices may have an increased risk of developing skin cancers.

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22 Jul 2008 Source

Ian Frazer Inventor of Cervical Cancer Vaccine

Agree

So for the foreseeable future, “slip slop slap seek and slide” is still the major take home message for skin cancer prevention. In the future, just as the cervical cancer vaccine will complement the cervical cancer screening program, I hope that a skin cancer vaccine will be available to help in the prevention of skin cancer, but we'll still need to stay out of the sun.

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16 Nov 2008 Source

David E. Fisher Professor of Dermatology

Agree

...when ultra violet radiation causes a tan, it almost certainly has done so through a process of damaging DNA, and mutating DNA, meaning intrinsically that it was simultaneously increasing the risk of developing skin cancer.

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18 Nov 2008 Source

Encyclopedia

Wikipedia World's Largest Encyclopedia

Mostly Agree

Excessive UV-radiation is the leading cause of primarily non malignant skin cancers. Sunscreen is widely agreed to prevent sunburn, although a minority of scientists argue that it may not effectively protect against malignant melanoma, which is either caused by a different part of the ultraviolet spectrum or, according to others, not caused by sun exposure at all.

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11 May 2009 Source

Disagree

Experts In Science

A. Bernard Ackerman Founding Figure in Dermatopathology

Disagree

The field is just replete with nonsense. If the evidence were compelling, I'd be the first to capitulate.

The Reverse Bias Pitch

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20 Jul 2004 Source

Ambiguous or Flip-Flop

Experts In Health

US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Government Department

Agree

The relationship between skin cancer and ultraviolet radiation is well established. Behaviors such as seeking shade, avoiding sun exposure during peak hours of radiation, wearing protective clothing, or some combination of these behaviors can provide protection.

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01 Dec 2004 Source

US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Government Department

Neutral

It is not known [...] if reduction of exposure to UV radiation through the use of sunscreens and/or protective clothing or through limitation of exposure time can reduce the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in humans. ... The relationship between UV radiation exposure and cutaneous melanoma is less clear ... A meta-analysis of 18 studies that explored the association between melanoma risk and previous sunscreen use [...] suggests an absence of an association.

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10 Apr 2008 Source

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0 Points Joe 14 May 2009 General Comment

The danger with becoming UV-neuorotic is that you'll end up with low vitamin D3. My sister recently fell victim to this - despite living in the sunniest capital city in Australia!

Sure - it makes good sense to avoid overexposure. But taking it to the point where you wear hats and sunscreens throughout the WHOLE year - and tinting the windows of a car you drive occassionally - is just silly.