Miami Herald - July 4, 2006
Howard Cohen, hcohen@MiamiHerald.com

This year, the buzz is about helio, as in helioplex and the Heliocare pill. Other new items to combat skin cancer, a killer claiming more than 10,000 lives each year, include continuous spray sunscreens and body-part specific sunscreens, with an accent on protecting infants and children.

Helioplex is an ingredient "and what it does is offer more complete protection across the whole ultraviolet [spectrum]," says Elizabeth Alvarez Connelly, assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of Miami. In other words, the word helioplex on a sunscreen label means that the product offers "better UVA and UVB coverage."

You want this because, according to the American Cancer Society, melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will top 62,000 cases this year in the United States and account for more than three-quarters of the annual 10,710 deaths due to skin cancer.

Heliocare, a new capsule manufactured by Ivax Dermatologicals, is an extract from the fern plant that helps stabilize the DNA in the cells and can offer some protection from UV damage. You take the pill as you do your morning vitamin supplements. Connelly cautions, however, that the pill alone is not sufficient. One still has to apply sunscreen, wear protective clothing and hats, or minimize exposure altogether.

Let's look at the latest:

SUNSCREEN

--Continuous spray sunscreens and mists are handy newcomers on the scene. "Mists are much easier to apply and can cover a bigger area more easily . . . doesn't feel as heavy or sticky," Connelly says.

Unlike old aerosol cans, these are environmentally friendly. Al Gore would probably approve.

"It uses a different technology than normal aerosol cans, using a plastic bag and air pressure . . . no propellent is released into the atmosphere," says Marshall Brain, founder of the North Carolina-based online site HowStuffWorks. "It's a nice product, especially if you are going to the beach," he says. The combination of sun, sand and water makes applying lotion a messy bother. Sprays are a cinch and the technology allows these sunscreens to spray at an angle or even upside-down.

--Sunscreen sticks are easy to apply, especially when dealing with children. "The reason is, it won't run into the eyes. If you are a parent and had that happen it'll ruin your day. It stings," Connelly says. Her suggestion: Get the thickest, widest stick you can find.

--We have you covered. There's a new proliferation of different types of sunscreens pegged to various body parts, for instance, a sunscreen for your scalp -- a good idea for babies who lack hair or grandpas who had hair but lost it.

(Find the above products at mass market retailers.)

EYE CARE

Skin cancers of the eye are common, says Carol Karp, Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The sun's penetrating ultraviolet rays can cause cancer of the eyelid and "removing pieces of the lid can be tricky," she warns. Cancer can pop up right on the eye itself -- on the cornea, the conjunctiva and the sclera -- and has a role in the worsening of cataracts and can cause macular problems, solar retinopathy and other degenerative maladies.

"In the last 14 years I have been here I've seen a tremendous increase in the amount of skin cancers in the eye, especially in young people," Karp says. "[It] can be multifactorial but people who are HIV positive" are at "double risk" for ultraviolet exposure leading to cancer.

--Sunglasses are a must but practice extreme caution because the wrong shades are worse than going bare. As with sunscreens, sunglasses must protect against both UVA and UVB rays. The price of a pair is not necessarily a factor. Cheap sunglasses may offer more protection than some expensive models and vice versa.

"If you are wearing sunglasses with no protection, your pupil dilates from the dark and then more light gets in and you have no protection," Karp warns.

--Blue light, another new buzz phrase, "may be more dangerous for macular degeneration," Karp says. "There is not conclusive evidence of this but it certainly indicates increasing awareness of the need for filtering out the harmful ultraviolet rays." Opt for shades that filter the sun's blue light rays, as well as UVA and UVB as an additional safety measure.

--Contact lenses and implants come with UVA and UVB protection now.

--Seek medical attention if you notice any fleshy, reddish growths on the eye surface -- known as pterygium.

GENERAL TIPS

--For children under 1 year of age Connelly recommends physical blockers (clothing, hats) and sunscreen with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. This is a good tip for adults as well. "I tell parents that they want that ingredient to be listed first.

"Zinc oxide is the same ingredient used in diaper cream so we know that it is safe starting from day one."

--If you use a sunscreen combination with insect repellent DEET, be wary. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied more often than DEET. You may be applying too much DEET so separate the two Connelly urges.

--There's no such thing as 'Water Proof,' no matter what the bottle says. Sunscreen is, at best, water resistant. Reapply after sweating and swimming and use four times as much as you think you need, experts advise.

--Modesty can be advantageous; cover up. "A hat and a shirt are the best sunscreens," Brain says. Wear a chapeau, wide-brimmed is better, and shirts. Darker colors offer more protection because the dye absorbs UV rays -- but still hydrate yourself with chilled, non-alcoholic drinks. Ultraviolet rays can reflect off surfaces and zap you even while sitting in shaded areas, so consider protective clothing and sunscreen when outdoors anyway.

--When driving use broad spectrum sunscreen, especially if you drive with the windows open. Consider tinting side windows with UVA and UVB blocking properties.

--UV blocking glass in the home generally protects against UVB rays, but opting for additional UVA protection is wise.

--Adults over 30 should not see the growth of new moles, Connelly says. If anything looks suspicious, have it checked out. A large number of moles in children is not normal and a rapidly changing mole is another red flag.

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