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Sunscreens and Prevention of Skin Cancer

»	List some of the important facts about skin cancer.
»	How does skin type affect the risk for skin cancer?
»	What are the other risk factors for skin cancer?
»	Do hereditary factors affect skin cancer risk?
»	What age or sex factors are important in skin cancer risk?
»	What should physicians teach patients about skin cancer prevention?
»	What warning signs of possible skin cancer should be looked for in the self-skin exam?
»	How is ultraviolet light classified?
»	List the 13 basic facts regarding sun protection.
»	What type of clothing is considered sun-protective?
»	What are sunscreens?
»	Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the physical and chemical sunscreens.
»	What chemicals are used in chemical sunscreens?
»	What factors should be considered in selecting a sunscreen?
»	How is an SPF determined?
»	How much sunscreen should be applied? How often should it be reapplied?
»	Can sunscreens be safely used in children?
»	Why are sunglasses included in sun-protection recommendations?
»	Are tanning pills safe to use?
»	What about “tan-in-a-bottle” lotions?
»	What about “tan-in-a-bottle” lotions?
»	If UVB is required for vitamin D metabolism, how would one maintain normal vitamin D levels with restricted sun exposure? How much sun exposure is necessary?
»	What is proper sunburn treatment?

How is an SPF determined?

Sunscreen SPF is defined as the ratio of the minimal dose of sunlight needed to cause redness of sunscreen-protected skin divided by the minimal dose of sunlight needed to cause redness of unprotected skin. SPFs of 15, 30, and 50 effectively reduce UV skin absorption by 94%, 97%, and 98%, respectively.