Our colleague from Subway called Annebel Schipper, spokesperson at the KWF, to talk about how harmful the sun can be for the skin.
How harmful is sunburn?
Research shows that 9 out of 10 people know that sun damage can cause skin cancer, says Schipper. That was different in the 70s and 80s. “People were sunbathing on the beach all day, preferably even smeared with oil. Fortunately, that ideal has now changed.”
Nowadays, more and more people use sunscreen well. It’s a good thing that we protect ourselves better from the sun these days, because burned skin can later cause skin cancer. Even if you only burn once, we’ll hear from Skipper.
Skin cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in the Netherlands, according to Numbers of the RIVM. According to Schipper, about 80,000 people received this diagnosis last year. “Many of these patients are those people who used to bake with oil on the beach. We hope that these numbers will decrease in the future, because we think that people are more conscious about the sun these days.”
The risk of skin cancer
Any burn increases the risk of skin cancer, thus the KWF. How about that? “Your DNA changes where you were burned, and DNA changes can later turn into cancer. Cancer can be caused by a mistake in cell division, something that can arise during combustion,” explains Schipper. “If you burn, even if it is only once, then there is damage in your DNA, which increases the risk of skin cancer.”
However, this process could take years, she said. “It’s not that if you burn today, you’ll have skin cancer tomorrow. You can see that, for example, in the current high skin cancer rates: these are mainly the result of baking from the 1970s and 1980s. So there is still a long period in between.”
Do you have children? Then you have to be even more careful with the sun, according to Schipper. “Children have an even faster cell division because they grow so much. So if there is a mistake in your DNA, then the chance of skin cancer later is also greater because that cell division still proceeds so quickly. That is why the most important message is: protect your children well and do not put babies under 1 in the sun at all.”
How to recognize skin cancer
There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. The latter is the most malignant form of skin cancer, which can cause early metastases. It is therefore crucial to ring the bell on time. How do you recognize a spot in yourself that may be skin cancer? Schipper explains: “It is important to pay attention to spots on the skin that change. Think of a mole that gets bigger, where fluid comes out or that starts to bleed.”
Is there a spot on your skin that you don’t trust? Make an appointment with your doctor right away to check it out. Skin cancer is often treatable if caught early.
Still enjoying the sun
So, baking in the sun is no longer of this time. Does that mean we should avoid the sun altogether? Certainly not, says the spokesperson for the KWF. “I think it’s important to tell you that you should protect yourself well against the sun, but I do want to emphasize that you can also enjoy the sun. After all, it doesn’t shine that often in the Netherlands. But don’t worry: enjoying the sun also means protecting yourself well.”