YOUR SKIN

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6891 Orchard Lake Road
South of Maple,
on The Boardwalk
(313) 855-5810

steven franklin optics

JUDITH JACK

10 to 20 years of life probably
doubles the risk of malignant
melanoma," says Dr. Sidney Hurwitz,
clinical professor of pediatrics and
dermatology at Yale University
School of Medicine, New Haven,
Conn. "Many believe children
require vast amounts of sun for good
health. In reality, they only need a
few minutes a day for adequate
vitamin D production."
A research team at Harvard
University recently reported that
regular use of a sunscreen with a 15
SPF during the first 18 years of life
would reduce a person's lifetime risk
of developing the two most
common types of skin cancer by 78
percent. In addition, the average
child receives three times the sun
exposure of adults during the
summer — another argument in
favor of regularly using sunscreens
on children.
Buying a sunscreen product for
a child is no different than buying
one for an adult. There are no
"special" products for children.
Teenagers with acne should
consult their doctors for a sunscreen
that won't exacerbate the condition.

Sunglasses

Americans spend almost $1
billion a year on sunglasses.
However, an estimated 40 percent of
all manufactured sunglasses are
inadequate for protecting the eye
and surrounding tissues from
irradiation by ultraviolet (UV) and
infrared light, reports Dr. R.S.
Rodriguez-Sains in the Skin Cancer

Foundation Journal.

All sunglasses screen out or
absorb some UV radiation but the
amount varies considerably. A darker
tint is not necessarily better.
For people who buy
prescriptive lenses, getting glasses
with 100 percent UV protection is no
problem. Most opticians can simply
apply a coating on the lens, and
prescription contact lenses can also
be coated for protection.
Persons buying glasses over-the-
counter will have a tougher time.
Look for sunglasses that have
information labels attached to them
and look for UV absorbing lenses.

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IN STYLI',