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Sun Exposure. Effects from the most prominent object in our solar system. Learning Goal:. The Student will be able to explain the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE impact the sun has on human health !. Talk at your table.
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Sun Exposure Effects from the most prominent object in our solar system
Learning Goal: The Student will be able to explain the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE impact the sun has on human health!
Talk at your table Brainstorm with your table, what do you already know about the Sun’s impact on human health.
Primary Source = natural: the Sun!!! Secondary Source = artificial: tanning beds Ultraviolet Radiation
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) • UVA rays • Weakest rays • Impairs skin’s immune defense • Causes melanoma, wrinkling, premature aging • Prevalent in tanning salons (which emit 5X more UVA than natural sunlight!)
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) • UVB Rays • Stronger than UVA rays • Affects skin’s outer layers • Causes sunburn, skin aging, basal and squamous cell cancers • More intense during summer, closer to equator, and at higher altitudes • Prolonged exposure can also alter the immune system!
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) • UVC Rays • Strongest, most dangerous rays • Receive little attention from scientists and doctors • Are usually filtered by the ozone layer and don’t reach Earth.
Youth are at risk because…. • They have high levels of sun exposure, • They have low levels of sun protection, • They have many outdoor jobs • Lifeguards, tree planters, student painters, camp counselors, etc. • They work many spring/summer jobs when they are out of school and the sun is strongest!
Risk factors that increase the chances of skin cancer… • Unprotected exposure to UV radiation • Fair complexion • Family history • Multiple or atypical moles • Severe sunburns as a child
How Skin Cancer is Caused • UVR lowers the body’s immune system & makes it hard to destroy defective cells • Skin is tanned and/or burned via exposure • Damage is done to cells and DNA • Some cells die; some repair themselves by getting rid of the damaged DNA • Cells that cannot repair themselves, become defective • Defective cells that are not destroyed slowly grow and produce a tumor.
Types of skin cancer Brainstorm with your partners: What are the different types of skin cancer? What type is the worst? Etc. Be ready to report out!
Three kinds of Skin Cancer Exist! • Melanoma • Basal Cell cancer • Squamous cell cancer • Actinic/solar keratoses (“pre-malignant”)
Melanoma • Least common; most serious • Starts as flat brown spot (~ freckle) • Asymmetrical shape • Common on upper back in men; calf & back in women
Basal Cell Cancer • On sun-exposed areas • Starts as blister-like bump • Can grow and eventually becomes crusted • Usually spot is clear/flesh colored; can be pigmented
Squamous Cell Carcinoma • Develops on background of severe sun damage • Has scaling with pink or brown coloring • On sun-exposed areas • Scaling can be picked off but reforms
Actinic/Solar Keratoses • Are “pre-malignant” • Some will develop into squamous cell carcinoma • The scaly lesions will become harder, elevated, and more crusted
What are the signs of skin cancer? • Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth • Scaly-ness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule • The spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark • A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain
1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer? a person’s risk of developing skin cancer doubles if they have > 5 sunburns? Women with basal cell cancer TRIPLED from 1976 – 2003? Women with squamous cell cancer QUADRUPLED from 1976-2003? Did you know….
Negative Aspects • Wrinkles • Brown sunspots on your skin • Aging • Possible death • Need for surgery or chemotherapy to remove cancer
Why is it important to be informed? • Melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, is almost always curable when it is detected early. • It can be prevented by being sun wise • Early detection is key! • The sun is fun, but can become dangerous • Children need help protecting themselves
Barriers of Communication • “It won’t happen to me” attitude • Tans are seen as attractive • Can be a result of childhood burns • People are in the sun often enjoying sports, beaches, parks, etc. • Being protective is a nuisance to some • Not being informed of the proper prevention techniques
ALTERNATIVES:PROTECT YOURSELF! • Reduce sun exposure between 10am – 4pm • Seek (or create your own) shade • Wear clothing that covers your body • Use sunglasses and wide brimmed hats • Apply sunscreen with SPF15 or higher • Use these precautions on cloudy or overcast days as well.
Did you know??? • Year-round sun protection is important • The sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can penetrate many types of clothes? • It can also go through automobile and residential windows? • It can damage your eyes, contributing to cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid cancers? • When you're on snow or ice, your face and eyes are at almost twice the risk of UV damage because of reflected glare? • The American Cancer Society estimates 8,790 deaths from skin cancer in 2011
1. Wear protective clothing that serves as a barrier between the skin and the sun. 2. Use a sunscreen with sun protection factor of 15 or more if outdoor s during the midday. 3. Melanoma incidence has been steadily rising, affecting people of all ages. 4. Farm workers are continually at risk of developing skin cancer of the head, face, ears, or neck. 5. Skin cancer cannot be associated with a single event, such as a painful sunburn, but rather with the progressive changes in the skin's makeup over years of sun exposure. Sun Exposure QuizAnswer True or False to the following statements:
Answer Key: 1. T 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. T
Personal Skin Cancer Risk Assessment On a piece of paper, create the following chart: For each risk factor, place a check or tally mark in the column for whom the risk factor is true!
Risk Factors: • Light or fair skin • Blue, green, or hazel eye color • Blonde or red hair • Freckles when in the sun • Burns when in the sun • 40 or more moles • Known family or personal history of melanoma
Risk Factors, cont. • Living in the sunbelt (YES for Arizona!) • Living in high altitudes • Two or more blistering sunburns • Exposure to UV radiation from tanning machines or medical treatment • Taking medications that increase the skin’s photosensitivity (some antibiotics and antihistimines)
Learning goal The Student will be able to explain the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE impact the sun has on human health! 4 – I Really know it 3 – I know it 2 – I know most of it 1 – I know some of it 0 – I was sleeping during the entire class period
Reflection • Knowing the skin cancer risks that affect you, what can you do to prevent overexposure to the sun? • How can you educate your friends and family members about skin cancer and the risks they take?