HHS HealthBeat (October 28, 2009)

Sensitivity and when the moles show up

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Some people are more sun-sensitive than others – and show it, with moles, spots and other signs of sun-damaged skin. Researchers say those signs indicate a higher risk for skin cancer.

At the Colorado School of Public Health, Lori Crane compared fair-skinned children who tanned with those who had not tanned.

[Lori Crane speaks] ``Children who tanned had about 50 percent more moles than children who didn’t tan, and that was at the ages of 6, 7 and 8.’’

Crane recommends that fair-skinned kids avoid tanning by covering up with clothes when they spend time outdoors, especially when the sun is at its peak, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The study in Archives of Dermatology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011