Melanoma: Test Your Knowledge

Melanoma Quiz, featured in the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center's "Advances" Newsletter

1.) The majority of melanomas occur from a changing mole

2.) Melanomas always have a dark discoloration.

3.) Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 is twice as strong as one with SPF 15.

4.) If a melanoma has spread to lymph nodes, the lung is the internal organ that has the higher risk of getting involved next.

5.) There are identified risk factors for developing melanoma.

6.) Melanomas are only found on skin surfaces that are exposed to the sun.

7.) Early diagnosis is important for a melanoma patient.

8.) A shave biopsy is the best approach for a skin lesion suspected of being a melanoma.

9.) Melanoma is usually curable once spread to distant sites.

10.) Clinical features of a skin lesion can help identify melanomas.

SPF will be announcing the winners 

of our t-shirt giveaway

hosted by 

Joan and Mariah's Reviews & Giveaways 

on Monday, September 10th, 2012

If you entered the giveaway, please check your email or the service you used to sign up for notification as that is how winners will be notified. 

(3) Winners will receive

• (1) Free SPF brand sun protective t-shirt, certified and rated UPF 50 that provides excellent sun protection. 
• An exclusive code will also be included within the winner's email for a $25 credit towards a $100 or more purchase at the SPF Store.

We'd like to thank Joan & Mariah for reviewing our product and hosting our giveaway. We received such a great response, that we are looking forward to working with them again, and doing more giveaways! So stay tuned, we'll be back at it again very soon!

Win a Free SPF 100% Cotton Long Sleeve Sun Protective T-Shirt

Win A FREE
SPF Brand Sun Protective Long Sleeve T-Shirt
UPF 50 Certified, blocks in excess of 97.5% UV Rays

Hosted by: Joan & Mariah's Reviews

3 Long Sleeve SPF t-shirt Winners will be selected 
Winners also receive $25 Credit towards a future purchase over $100

Entry requires agreement to sign up for the SPF Newsetter, packed full of information, articles and exclusive sales!

$14.95 SALE SPF Brand 100% Cotton Sun Protective Long Sleeve T-Shirts UPF 50

GET IT NOW - Click here
$14.95 Each

Long Sleeve Sun Protective T-shirt Sale

Introducing Eclipse Couture Women's Fashions & Founder Jana

Jana Eshaghian, Founder of Eclipse Couture
Women's Sun Protective Fashions

At SPF, we believe that we can make a difference in the lives of those who suffer from skin cancer, lupus and other skin diseases and disorders. Over the years, we have had many customers who have complimented us on our products, and then you have customers such as Jana Eshaghian. She was a former customer that loved our fabrics and wanted to create her own styles to help others. We'd like to share her story with you and the Eclipse Couture clothing line, which SPF has chosen as our exclusive women's fashions. We are offering 15% off all Eclipse Couture on the SPF Store website! 

Click here to shop

Jana's Story ~

In April of 2005, Jana Eshaghian, co-founder of Eclipse Couture, was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as SLE lupus.  Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which causes the body to attack it’s own organ system(s), resulting in inflammation of the tissues, swelling and tissue destruction.

SPF "From the Heart" Series Interview with Joan Penfold, Melanoma and Lupus Survivor

Here at SPF, we have a history with skin cancer, skin diseases and disorders. SPF was founded on finding a solution to help with the daily struggles of coping with sun exposure, including skin cancer. All the staff at SPF agrees that sharing stories, raising awareness, and engaging in dialog, is the best form of education in the prevention and treatment of skin cancer, lupus, skin diseases and disorders. It allows those who deal with skin ailments to share their personal experience, offer advice, and most of all provide some comfort in knowing that you're not alone! So, we've started a new series called "From the Heart", and we're pleased to feature such a vibrant survivor of skin cancer and lupus. 

SPF Presents our new
 "From the Heart" Interview Series

Featuring Joan Penfold, - Skin Cancer & Lupus Survivor -

Joan Penfold, Skin Cancer & Lupus Survivor
www.joanandriahsreviews.com

Q: Would you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

A: I am a 50 year old Mom with 2 grown kids and a great husband (most days anyway!) We also have our 4 legged friend Freddi, a big eyed Basset. About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I went with my husband to his check and knew I had an area on my back that concerned me.It had started as a regular looking mole, but had became darker, raised, changed size, looked suscpicious and started to itch.

 

Q: You are a skin cancer survivor, let’s talk about your experience. When were you diagnosed? What symptoms made you finally decide it was time to see a doctor?

A: At this point I made the decision. It was convenient, as I would be there with my husband anyway, so I set up the appointment to see the dermatologist/anesthesiologist.  Of course, when you start thinking of areas of concern, more and more come in to your mind. I recommend you start writing a diary so you have a list of the spots. I started with the dime sized area in the middle of my back, that spot was taken out and was dime sized, not round and raised. It was removed along with several other areas, I had another  small area removed from my face and left temple. From there, another appointment was made to come back a week later.  When I returned for my follow up in a week, the doctor came in the room, and sat down next to me, my heart started racing. First he said I had a basal cell carcinoma on my left temple and on my face, but that was all taken care of and nothing to worry back. Next, he got a serious look on his face, and said I had a large quarter-sized Malignant Melanoma on my back, and that was the worst kind to get. I really had to keep track of my skin, and in the meantime, they did not get all the margins. The pathologist informed me he needed to take more off. He numbed the area and removed the so-called margins and the pathologist had to look again. More skin cancer areas were removed one last time, and finally they let me know they had gotten it all.  Ahh, I breathed a sigh of relief, as my father had many skin cancers, and I recall his nose was half cut off.  I did not take care of my skin until then, but I do now!

Tanning Beds & Protecting Your Eyes - More Than One Reason to Protect Your Skin Part II

This article is the second part of a three part article “More than one reason to protect your skin”. The second part of the article covers tanning beds and your eyes. These are two subjects that are overlooked at times, and there are many myths about tanning beds.

In the 1990’s, there was a tanning bed boom, and there were many misconceptions about how tanning beds work and that they are safer. It is the exact opposite, and there are some simple ways to figure this out on your own. If they were safe, would they recommend you wear special goggles? This is because the rays from the tanning bed can damage your eyes and that includes your skin. People who use tanning beds are 74% more likely to develop melanoma, the most lethal of all skin cancers, than those who have never used them. That’s a staggering fact to swallow.
Source: http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/tanning

Moreover, when you go out to find information on your own, you’ll find there are those who have misconceptions about tanning beds being safer! This was brought on by the tanning bed industry. An article released by the leaders of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce showed that it is routine practice for the tanning industry provided false information about the serious risks of indoor tanning and made erroneous claims about the health benefits that indoor tanning provides. In other words, consumers were being lied to for years, and consider how many people out of that 74% who more likely to develop skin cancer feel about that now.
Source http://www.skincancer.org/news/tanning/tanningreport

Committees involved found that nearly all salons denied knowing the risks of indoor tanning, 4 out of 5 salons made false claims about tanning being beneficial to one’s health, they used various technique’s to minimize the health risks of indoor tanning, they failed to follow FDA recommendations on frequency of tanning and their primary target were young teenage girls. When the facts are when you go to a tanning booth 4 times you increase your risk of developing melanoma by 11%, and 15% for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. It should be appalling to anyone, to think that an industry would consider being dishonest about informing the public in regards to their risks of skin cancer from such a dangerous machine.

Photo Credit - Erin Vermeer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/evilerin/3096163337/sizes/m/

Here are some staggering facts about tanning booths. Taken from an article on The Skin Cancer Foundation website: 

INDOOR TANNING

• Those who make just four visits to a tanning salon per year can increase their risk for melanoma by 11 percent, and their risk for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma by 15 percent.
• Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a proven human carcinogen. Currently tanning beds are regulated by the FDA as Class I medical devices, the same designation given elastic bandages and tongue depressors.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of the most dangerous cancer-causing substances.
• Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes, and solar UV radiation 
• Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure 
• Ten minutes in a sunbed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun 
• Nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the U.S. every year39; 2.3 million of them are teens. 
• On an average day, more than one million Americans use tanning salons. 
• Seventy-one percent of tanning salon patrons are girls and women aged 16-29. 
• Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. 
• People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. 
• The indoor tanning industry has an annual estimated revenue of $5 billion.

Source:  http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts

Protecting Your Eyes from the sun

It’s easy to forget about our eyes, because we might automatically assume that putting on a pair of sunglasses will do the trick. Well, that’s only if they are polarized, which means they protect your eyes from the sun. UV can damage your eyes  and cause cataracts, age related macular degeneration, cancer and growths on the eyes. We have mentioned tanning beds earlier, and this is even more important if you use a tanning bed (which we highly recommend against), but if you do, it is extremely important due to the higher radiation levels and frequency that people tend to use them.

Here are some tips on protecting your eyes and purchasing the right types of Polarized sunglasses:

Look for sunglasses that block 100% UVA &UVB Rays. The color of the lens is not important. However you might want to a pair with a lighter lens so you can see in lower light and a darker lens for brighter days to reduce glare. Never look directly at the sun, ever.

• It is best to choose styles that wrap around your head, so that light does not come in the sides of your head.
• Use a sun protective wide brimmed hat with a UPF factor, to keep sunlight out of your eyes.
• Even on cloudy days you can still get sunburn, UV radiation is still present.
• Peak times of sunlight are between 10AM and 4PM, avoid direct sun exposure at these times. If you have to be out in the sun, protect your skin and eyes.

Growing up with fair skin, sunburn and tan envy!

www.freedigitalphotos.net

I am a fair skinned person, I grew up with a sister who has a beautiful olive skin tone and tans very easily and I was always jealous of her ability to tan. Me, I had to work for one, and I that usually meant getting sunburn first. During my youth I burned quite a few times, with blisters, which doubles my chances of developing skin cancer. Not to mention, it was extremely painful! I tried my best to remember to apply sunscreen! When I was younger, it was easy to lose track of time and reapply sunblock every 20-30 minutes if my mother wasn't nearby.Today, there are methods that make this much easier, such as sun protective clothing with UPF factors that block both UVA and UVB instead of prolong the reddening of the skin, which is what sun screen does.

How long it takes to sunburn by UV Index Ratings

First let's start with a means of finding your UV index. Check your UV index here.

0-2 Minimal UV Exposure, over 60 minutes to sunburn.
A wide brimmed hat should do, and sunglasses if applicable. 
3-4 Low, sunburn can occur in approximately 45-60 minutes or more.
Wear a hat and protect your skin using clothing UPF 15 and SPF 15 on any exposed skin every 2 hours.
5-6 Moderate, sunburn can occur within 30 minutes.
Wear a minimum of UPF 15 clothing, UPF 20-24 is recommended, and polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes. Sunblock SPF 15-30 should be applied to any exposed skin, every 2 hours.
7-9 High, sunburn can occur within 15-20 minutes.
 Advised to stay inside between peak times of 10:00AM - 4:00PM. Wear UPF 40-50+ clothing, hat, polarized sunglasses and SPF 45 to any exposed skin every 2 hours.
10+ Very high, sunburn can occur in less than 15 minutes
 It is recommended you stay indoors. If you go outside, try to stay in a shaded area, keep yourself hydrated, wear SPF 40-50+ clothing, wide brimmed hat, polarized sunglasses and SPF 45 on any exposed skin every 2 hours.

What everyone should know during hot temps and high UV Indexes

It's been a blistering hot summer! SPF wants everyone, including parents of young children to be informed about the dangers of high temperatures and UV index levels. During times like this, people tend to be more likely to use sun protective clothing and/or sunscreens to protect themselves and their family from a painful sunburn. That should not be the only reason anyone should protect themselves and loved ones from the sun.

Here are some quick facts and tips to help you and your family stay protected during this heat wave we’ve experienced across the country.

FACTS & TIPS FOR THIS HOT SUMMER

Children who experience more than one blistering , may double their lifetime risk of developing melanoma, which is responsible for 70% of skin cancer deaths per year. Five or more sun burns per year can double a person’s risk of developing skin cancer.

UV exposure accelerates the oxidation process of the body that creates free radicals that damage skin cells resulting in premature aging, wrinkles, leathery and sagging skin.

More than one reason to protect your skin from the sun

www.spfstore.com

When we think of sun damage and protecting ourselves, what is the first thing you think of? Most people think of protecting themselves from sunburn. We certainly pay attention when someone gives us a good pat on the back when we have a sunburn, because it hurts! That’s usually the reason why most of us even apply sun screen or wear sun protective clothing is to avoid getting a sunburn. That shouldn't be the only reason. It might not be easy to consider all the time, but the sun's UV Rays are very dangerous. They will cause damage to you and everyone around you at some point in time. It's imperative you protective yourself, and the best thing you can do is be informed.


So, what about the “other reasons” we should be thinking about when we talk about protecting our skin. We are going to talk about this in detail, therefore we decided to take this particular article in 3 parts.

Reasons to protect your skin using sun protective apparel

www.spfstore.com

• 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
• 1 American per hour dies from skin cancer
• Unprotected exposure to UV Radiation is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer.
• Each year, more new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in American than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined.

Source: US EPA www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvandhealth.htm

Freckles are cute, if they are really freckles....

Freckles are cute! That’s a statement almost all of us have heard or said at some point in our lives. How much do you really know about freckles and when you should be concerned? The staff at here at The SPF Store (Sun Protective Factory) are dedicated to bringing awareness to some of the most easily overlooked signs of  skin cancer, melanoma, carcinoma, XP (Xeroderma Pigmentosum) and many other skin disorders. Having freckles does not mean you have a skin disorder, however what you think could be a freckle, might be a sign of a serious skin disorder. We’re here to help you know the difference.

Ephelides Freckles
Photo Credit Graur Codrin

Let’s start from the beginning. Freckles can be the result of having lower amounts of Melanin in the skin, which is a chemical compound that is made by our skin cells. It acts as the body’s natural defense against the sun’s harmful rays. People who have darker complexions and tan easier have a greater amount of Melanin. It actually reflects and absorbs UV Rays from the sun. Thus, if you have less melanin, you will have a lighter complexion and most likely freckles. Having freckles, is usually an inherited trait, which can also affect darker skin types as well, but is less frequent.

The SPF Store's New Blog!

Hello world! The SPF Store is launching our new blog called "Know Your Skin, Love Your Skin". Our goal is to educate you about your skin and the factors of our everyday life that can cause skin damage from exposure to the sun. By protecting yourself from the sun's harmful UV rays, you can aide in the prevention of any various types of skin disorders caused from over exposure to the sun. At times, genetics can play a key role in being diagnosed with skin disorders and skin cancer, in cases like these, it is even more important to practice healthy skin care that include protecting your skin from dangerous UV rays. We're here to keep you informed, involved and in touch with the the latest news and information on skin care, sun exposure, prevention, protection and of course the latest form of sun block, and that's clothing that provides UPF (Ultra-Violet Protection Factor) protection which you can find here at www.spfstore.com