It’s time to be generous with sun block.

Skin cancer is on the rise among people under 40 according to a recent report identify the report from researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, affecting more than one million people each year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). People who burn easily or can hardly tan at all have the highest risk of getting skin cancer, whereas, those with olive skin or of African descent have low risks. Nonmelanoma cancers include all skin cancers except malignant melanoma. Cancers that develop from melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells of the skin, are called melanoma, according to the ACS.

Nonmelanoma has two types. Basal cell accounts for about 80 percent of all skin cancers. Squamous cell affects about 15 percent and is most common on areas on the face. Both are a result of exposure to the sun.

Those who value their year-round tan prefer to be uninformed about the dangers of skin cancer.

“(I deal with skin cancer) by turning my head and being ignorant,” said Jenelle Schmidt, 23, a regular tanning salon customer. “I don’t wear sunscreen in the tanning bed. I don’t really think about it, even though I know I should.”

Past research from the ACS report that nonmelanoma usually occurs in people over 50.

“Nobody really knows the real reason why (younger people are getting nonmelanoma skin cancers),” said Robert Molino, a staff physician at the Student Health Center. “We like to say it’s a lifestyle thing.”

An increase in the use of tanning beds in younger age groups, especially among women, contributes to this problem. Tanning beds reflect the rays from the ultraviolet A range on the electromagnetic spectrum, which tends to lack the burning effect that people get from the sun but has very penetrating wavelengths. A day at the beach gets a much broader spectrum for tanning, which leads to more burning. Experts say damage from these beds tends to be less visible, but both are unsafe.

“(Some) say that tanning beds actually do cause cancer,” said Molino. “But these are statistical associations. There’s no super hard evidence that would be sort of a kin to cigarettes causing lung cancer.”

One of Molino’s family members visits the tanning salon often, despite his concerns with this practice causing skin cancer. Although he is older than her, her frequent visits have aged her skin to the point that she looks older, Molino said.

“She’s willing to take that risk. It’s a personal issue,” he said. “Some people think it’s a trade off for a non-fatal disease and they want the cosmetic benefit of it.”

Despite the negative effects of tanning, there are those who continue to take a risk with their skin.

“I think that the whole skin cancer subject has been highly exaggerated and I am not too worried,” said Lea Bertron, 21, who usually tans at the beach or in a salon once a week. “For me, (tanning) is something that I love to do and am not concerned about long-term effects.”

Nonmelanoma skin cancers are relatively easy to treat, if detected early. The most common way to treat basal cell if it’s small is to burn it and scrape it off. It also leaves a good cosmetic result, meaning there is limited scarring, said Molino.
People should look out for flat, white scars or red spots that never seem to heal about six to eight weeks. Those areas should be evaluated by an expert.

“These types of cancers can be easily dealt with if we get them early,” said Molino. “What often happens is that it’s an elderly person who has let it go for years. That means trouble.”

Bertron does make an effort to see a dermatologist twice a year.

“(I go to a dermatologist) to check my body for signs of skin cancer, like a mole that is new,” she said. “There are no cases of skin cancer in my family but I am fully aware of the side effects.”

To reduce the risk of skin cancer, avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., cover up as much as you can if you’re going to be exposed, use a sun block of 30 SPH and apply it thickly to get the full range of the product, Molino recommends.

“That’s the best you can do. Time will take care of the rest of it,” Molino said.