Kalawalla      

Protection from the sun--without sunscreen?

Date: 9th December 2008, Source: Kalawalla News

By:De Anna Sheffield


Pinellas County, Florida - She loves the sun, but the days of baking in it are over for Vanessa Loveday. And wearing sunscreen is a must.

Vanessa Loveday, wears sunscreen
"I've got very fair skin, we all have, my two children have it, too. I lost my mother to skin cancer. Twenty years ago, skin cancer wasn't advertised, but now it's more obvious."

But Dr. James Spencer, a dermatologist based at St. Anthony's Carillon Outpatient Center and co-chair of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, says the message isn't getting across like it should.

Dr. James Spencer, dermatologist
"The amazing thing is, I see more and more young people, in their 20's with skin cancer. When I started my career 12 years ago, it was something that senior citizens had, but not a week goes by we don't see a young person."

Now a company called Ivax makes an herbal supplement called Heliocare that claims to give protection from the sun.

Dr. James Spencer
"It's in your system and it goes to the skin. What it's shown scientifically is that sunscreens just prevent the ultra-violet light from getting to your skin, it makes a barrier but it's not a block. With the polypodium (the active ingredient in Heliocare) it's not a sunscreen, the ultra violet light still gets into your skin, but this seems to prevent the damage that the ultra violet rays do. It prevents DNA damage..that's thought to lead to cancer."

Reportedly, Heliocare will be on the market in the next two months, and sold at pharmacies, although a prescription is not needed. A spokesperson says it's recommended that someone take it at least once a day, or before heading into the sun, but it's not clear how long they should continue to take it to get extended protection. A set price is not known for a 60-day supply of the pills.

Dr. James Spencer
"It's another tool we have, it's not perfect, but it's a step in the right direction. And what I'm advising people is people use sunscreen with the pill."