Here's a report from dermatologists about athletes, the sun and the risks of skin cancer:
More and more professional athletes are realizing how the dangerous effects from the sun can disrupt their game. From baseball to hockey, running to skiing, skin cancer is leaving its mark on athletes in a range of sports. To spread awareness and help strike out skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is urging athletes to Be Sun Smart SM. "Thousands of athletes, both professional and amateur, are at high risk for developing skin cancer," warns dermatologist Brian B. Adams, MD, MPH, FAAD, and chairperson of the AAD´s Sports Committee. "Outdoor athletes face double jeopardy because perspiring exacerbates their risk." Perspiration on the skin lowers the minimal erythema dose, the lowest ultraviolet (UV) light exposure needed to turn the skin barely pink. "You've already set yourself up for trouble if you are not using sunscreen when outdoors participating in sports," commented Dr. Adams. "When you perspire, you are even more susceptible to a burn, and with continued exposure, to wrinkles, age spots and maybe even skin cancer."
