Chicago Doctor Warns About Sun Damage
CHICAGO, IL – Dr. Omeed Memar stresses there is no such thing as total protection against the sun.
There are numerous sun protection products currently on the market. Â However, with all these products come hype and confusion! Recently, actress Jessica Alba’s eco-friendly skin product company, (HONEST,) came under fire for not providing consumers adequate sun protection. Dr. Memar says when it comes to protecting your skin and your life, you need the facts not the hype.
Keys to Buying Sun Block:
- Sunscreen will not give you all day total protection
- What ingredients to look for in products
- What are the best sunscreens or sunblocks
- How to apply them? and how often?
- What does SPF (the sun protection factor) stand for?
- How important is the strength of SPF
- How long can you stay out in the sun without burning?
- What are the best times to stay out of the sun?
- The dangers of burning unprotected and protected
- Always wear a hat in the sun
Dr. Memar can describe the difference between UVB rays and UVA rays.
What full-spectrum sunscreen will protect your skin from both long-wave UVA’s and short-wave UVB’s.
UVB’s are the rays that cause sunburn
UVA’s are those that cause sun damage.
How does sun damage affect skin tones?
The effectiveness of sunscreen depends on your skin tone.
The doctor can recommend sunscreens that are affordable.
About Dr. Omeed Memar:
Dr. Memar is an active clinical assistant professor at Northwestern University and medical director of Academic Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute. He is certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Memar graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch with a “M.D., Ph.D.” in the field of immunopathology of skin, with an extensive hands-on experience in pathological preparation and examination of skin tissue. Dr. Memar started his residency training in dermatology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he was trained by leaders in the field of dermatology, dermato-pathology, hair biology and dermatologic surgery. Dr. Omeed Memar trained under the world renowned Dr. Virginia C. Fiedler in dermatology.
Skin Cancer Facts
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation;
- There’s a 250 percent increase in non-melanoma skin cancer in women.
- 1 in 50 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin during their lifetime.
- 90% of non-melanoma cancers are associated to the ultraviolet/UV rays from the sun.
- Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common skin malignancy among African Americans and Asian Indians, and the second most common skin cancer among Hispanics and Chinese/Japanese Asian.
- The deadliest type of skin cancer, melanoma forms when a pigment cell called a melanocyte (a skin cell that produces melanin and manifests itself as a mole or freckle) turns malignant and starts to reproduce out of control.
- About 9,940 Americans will die from melanoma cancer, and it’s the most common form of cancer in people ages 25 to 29.
- Melanoma kills one person every 57 minutes.
Recent studies from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Journal of Preventive Medicine show that an enormous 63 percent of African Americans have never even worn sunscreen.
