MONDAY, June 16, (News Locale) - Wearing sandals and flip-flops in the hot summer weather may be perfect as far as fashion is concerned, but excess sunlight on exposed feet could cause skin cancer. Foot doctors are warning people that cancer of the foot is often mistaken for bruising. 

Open-toe shoes mean that most part of the foot is in the direct glare of the sunlight and is bombarded with UV rays that are implicated in causing skin cancer. Cancer of the foot is called acral melanoma and is fatal in most cases with just 50 percent of people managing to beat the cancer.

Cancer of the foot is usually located on the sole of the foot, between the toes or under the toenails. Doctors say that most of the year feet are enclosed in shoes meaning they are protected from sunlight. During summer the intense sunlight exposure after wearing flip-flops leads to sunburn and increases the risk of developing skin cancer.

Anthony Kontos, head of the clinic at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, told British newspaper the Daily Telegraph that people are aware that they need to check other parts of their body for suspicious moles but they're unlikely to examine their feet.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, "There are two types of UV light that can be harmful to us: UVA and UVB.  UVB light is primarily responsible for causing sunburn.  Both UVB and UVA light contribute to skin cancer, premature skin aging, and other types of skin damage.  It is important to protect ourselves from both UVB and UVA light."

The FDA is proposing a new sunscreen label that will be expanded to provide
* A four-star rating system that informs consumers how well the product protects them against "Ultraviolet A" (UVA) light.
* Information on other ways people can limit their risks to dangers posed by overexposure to sunlight.

"Limiting time in the sun and wearing protective clothing as part of a comprehensive sun protection regimen are other recommendations that would be prominently displayed on labels. Using sunscreens liberally and reapplying frequently would also be advised," the FDA has revealed.

Doctors also say that consumers would be better of using sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15 or higher on their feet before they wear their flip-flops.
 

Comments (3)

3. 26-06-2008 05:46

Our forefathers had the ozone layer protecting them

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