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Invisible
Sun Damage-Do You Know What Lies Beneath the Surface?
(NAPSI)-Science has long recognized the role of ultraviolet
(UV) rays in causing serious skin diseases. UV rays can suppress
the skin's immune function and damage DNA, which may cause
your skin to burn and age prematurely, and could also lead
to skin cancer. Even worse, too much sun over time can diminish
your skin's ability to defend or repair itself as it should.
A wide variety of problems can result, ranging from wrinkles,
freckles, and sun spots to precancerous and cancerous skin
conditions. Unfortunately, unlike these visible problems there
are additional problems that are not always detected by the
naked eye. If you have noticeable damage on the surface of
your skin, keep in mind there may be additional, unseen damage
nearby.  Therefore,
it is crucial to recognize that the problems you can see may
just be the tip of the iceberg.
It's important that you protect your skin
all year, not just in the summer.
One common example of sun-diseased skin is actinic keratosis
or AK. This is considered a precancerous skin condition affecting
over 10 million Americans each year. According to the American
Academy of Dermatology, if left untreated, AK lesions can
progress to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second-leading
cause of skin cancer deaths in the United States. Therefore,
it is important to treat AK as soon as it is diagnosed so
you have a greater chance of preventing further damage.
Actinic keratosis can take a long time to develop, most often
appears after age 40, and becomes more prevalent as you age.
Actinic keratosis lesions typically appear as rough, red,
scaly patches, or crusts on the skin. They usually measure
less than one-quarter inch across and are found primarily
on areas of the body exposed to the sun. Fair-skinned people
who live in sunny climates and those who have a history of
chronic sun exposure are the most likely to develop AK.
There are several approaches to treating AK. These include
freezing, surgical excision, scraping, lasers, chemical peels,
dermabrasion, photodynamic therapy, and topical prescription
medications such as 5FU, diclofenac and imiquimod. One option
is Aldara™ (imiquimod) Cream, 5%, a treatment prescribed
for certain types of AK on the face or scalp. The first immune
response modifier approved for AK, Aldara Cream assists the
skin's immune system to destroy sun-damaged cells and clear
AKs that are visible as well as the ones developing nearby.
In clinical studies of AK using Aldara Cream, the most common
side effects involved skin reactions in the application area.
These included redness, swelling, erosions, weeping, scabbing,
itching and burning. Most skin reactions were rated mild to
moderate. Exposure to sunlight (including sunlamps) should
be avoided or minimized during use of Aldara Cream because
of concern for heightened sunburn susceptibility. Patients
should be warned to use protective clothing when using Aldara
Cream.
In order to reduce the risk of AK and skin cancer, the American
Academy of Dermatology recommends adopting a comprehensive
sun protection program that includes wearing a broad-spectrum
sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher;
wearing protective clothing; avoiding the sun between 10 a.m.
and 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest; and seeing your dermatologist
annually.
For more information about Aldara Cream, AK or for full prescribing
information, visit www.Aldara.com.
FPO
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