Walking on the sunny side of the street
We have had a lot of sun during May and hopefully this will continue for the next few months. We should not be scared of getting out and enjoying the sunshine as bright sunny weather is of great benefit to our health.
Good exposure to the sun during April to September builds up our stores of Vitamin D. Like hibernating creatures, we store the Vitamin D we accrue over the summer in our fat reserves to keep us going through the dark winter months. This is very important in keeping our bones strong, it also boosts our immune system and may have other effects although research is still being done to confirm this.
There is no doubt that sunlight has a ‘feel good’ factor and this is also backed up by research studies. The most commonly used antidepressants work by boosting the level of Serotonin in our bodies and exposure to sunlight has been shown to have identical effects. One study found that people had higher levels of serotonin in their blood on bright days compared to overcast or cloudy ones. They also found that the rate of serotonin production in the brain was directly related to the duration of bright sunlight, regardless of the season or outside temperature. On top of this, there is some research to suggest that direct sunlight can trigger your skin cells to produce endorphins. These are neurotransmitters related to pleasure also released by exercise, eating, massage, chocolate and sex.
Sunlight has also been found to directly lower blood pressure. Scientists from Edinburgh University did an experiment showing that if you expose your arm to just 20 minutes of sunlight, that is enough to boost production of nitric oxide in your skin – which in turn causes your blood vessels to expand, bringing your blood pressure down.
Little and often is the best approach to topping up on sunshine plus minimising long exposure times is also the best way to avoid burning. Using suncream does not reduce any of the benefits I have listed above and protects the skin from damaged.
Skin cancers are directly related to sun damage. They can be broadly divided into two groups: melanoma and non-melanoma cancers.
Melanomas are abnormal looking moles. If you are over 40 and develop any new pigmented lesions then please make an appointment for a GP to take a look. We are particularly concerned about new moles or a mole that changes and meets any of the following ABCD criteria:
· Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other.
· Border Irregularity: The edges of the mole are uneven, notched, or blurred.
· Colour: The mole has multiple shades of brown, black or blue.
· Diameter: The mole is larger than 6 millimeters (about 1/4 inch) in diameter
Non-melanoma skin cancers present as non-healing or persistent irritated areas or skin, often dry and red; once identified they can normally be treated by ourselves with a topical chemotherapy.
So, profit from the sunny weather, use suncream to protect your skin and if you have a growth on your skin that’s getting bigger, has changed colour or texture or an area of skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks please make an appointment.
Anthony O’Brien
Wyndham House Surgery