According to a recent report, white marathon runners are at an increased risk of skin cancer because of prolonged sun exposure.
The research team of dermatologists at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, recruited 210 marathon runners for their study and matched them for age and sex with 210 other people. All 420 people were screened by a dermatologist.
It was observed that the marathon runners had more abnormal moles and lesions on their bodies and 24 of them were referred for surgical treatment, while only 14 were referred among the non-marathoners.
Since the research was done on white marathoners, it is still unclear whether the findings can be applied to blacks, who are less prone to skin cancer than whites.
Dr. Scott B. Phillips, a Chicago dermatologist said, “personally, I recommend sunscreen use for everybody”. He also said that runners can lower their risk by training during morning or evening hours and wearing water-resistant sunscreen.
Even running clothing made of new fabrics that screen the harmful ultraviolet rays can also help. But most of the runners expose a lot of skin, which can be very damaging in the long run. And only 56 percent of the runners were reported wearing sunscreen regularly.
Physical exercise on sunny days can also be very harmful to the skin because sweating may increase the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet rays, making sunburn more likely.
But sunscreen alone is not the answer to this problem. It is also important that athletes wear reasonable gear that covers their shoulders and upper back, and avoid training in peak sun hours, if they want to remain safe.
So the next time you step out in the sun, don’t forget to apply sunscreen with an SPF of atleast 25 and wear a hat and proper clothing to protect yourself.
Related posts:
