Frequently Asked Questions
The answers to these questions come from the American Academy of Dermatology position statements.
If you have further questions, please consult their website at www.aad.org.
With avoidance of the sun it is important to supplement vitamin D intake with supplements and diet.
How much vitamin D do I need daily?
Adequate Intake (AI) Recommendations for Vitamin D
1997 RDA Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes. Dietary reference intakes: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington , DC:National Academy Press; 1997. pp.250-87.
What sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen do I need to use?
Dermatologists strongly recommend using a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater year-round for all skin types. This will help protect against sunburn, premature aging (e.g., age spots and wrinkles) and skin cancer
American Academy of Dermatology
Do I need sunscreen in the winter or on cloudy days?
Don't reserve the use of sunscreen only for sunny days. Even on a cloudy day, up to 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet rays can pass through the clouds. In addition, sand reflects 25 percent of the sun's rays and snow reflects 80 percent of the sun's rays.
Global Solar UV Index. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/uv/publications/en/UVIGuide.p
I thought that tanning beds were safer than the sun for tanning.
Indoor tanning equipment, which includes all artificial light sources, including beds, lamps, bulbs, booths, etc., emits UVA and UVB radiation.The amount of the radiation produced during indoor tanning is similar to the sun and in some cases may be stronger. 7,8
7 Hornung RL, Magee KH, Lee WJ, Hansen LA, Hsieh YC. Tanning facility use: are we exceeding the Food and Drug Administration limits? J AM Acad Dermatol. 2003 Oct;49(4):655-61.
8 Miller, SA, Hamilton, SL, Wester, UG, Cyr, WH. An analysis of UVA emissions from sunlamps and the potential importance for melanoma. Photochem Photobiol 68(1998), 63-70.
Evidence from several studies has shown that exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning devices is associated with an increased risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.1,2, 9-11
1 Whitmore SE, Morison, WL, Potten CS, Chadwick C. Tanning salon exposure and molecular alterations. J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;44:775-80.
2 Swerdlow AJ, Weinstock MA. Do tanning lamps cause melanoma? An epidemiologic assessment. J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;38:89-98.
9 Westerdahl J, Ingvar C, Masback A. Jonsson N, Olsson H. Risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma in relation to use of sunbeds: further evidence for UV-A carcinogenicity. Br J Cancer 2000;82:1593-9.
10 Karagas M, et al. "Use of tanning devices and risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers." Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2002 February 6;94(3):224-6.
11 The International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group on artificial ultraviolet (UV) light and skin cancer "The association of use of sunbeds with cutaneous malignant melanoma and other skin cancers: A systematic review." International Journal of Cancer. 2007 March 1;120:111-1122.
