"Base burn"

Checkout this column in today's Westerly Sun (Rhode Island) by Kathleen Currie. Currie admits to the stupid things most of us have done in the past like getting a "base burn" at the beginning of every summer and how that now leaves her uneasy about her risk factor. She also touches on the Vitamin D hype from a couple weeks ago. I recommend reading it if you're looking for an article that covers most of the bases on melanoma.

Excerpts from the Westerly Sun:

...this year a friend of mine, who just turned 30, had a melanoma removed from her chest. The surgery left a large scar. At 33 years old, I am beginning to notice wrinkles and spots on my own skin. I know that is damage caused by the sun. I wish I could go back in time and take protection seriously. The statistics I once read and believed irrelevant to me are hitting closer to home and, yes, I am scared.

Then this from dermatologist Mary Ann Bentz, M.D about the Vitamin D hype:

Bentz warns people about the recent news report that suggests unprotected exposure to the sun provides the body with sufficient vitamin D and may in turn prevent or even treat many cancers. "You can get all the vitamin D you need from fortified milk and multivitamins; it is not worth putting yourself at risk," says Bentz.