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" I knew better. I&amp;#039;d been indoctrinated since birth against the evils of sun worship, made keenly aware of my family&amp;#039;s history of skin cancer -- and endowed with so dubious a supply of melanin that no one ever believed I was from Tucson. Yet, until not so long ago, I succumbed to my desire for unprotected sun. Repeatedly.  Chances are, you&amp;#039;re just as guilty. As Redbook&amp;#039;s exclusive online poll indicates -- and Neutrogena&amp;#039;s cross-country focus groups confirm -- we all know the risks of UV exposure, yet we continue to be seduced by the sun. Ask us why and we&amp;#039;ll cite vanity, self-esteem, or some combination of the two. Look good, feel good, goes the maxim, and it&amp;#039;s borne out consistently in the focus group responses: &amp;quot;I feel more confident...I look glowing and people notice.&amp;quot; Or, &amp;quot;I get more compliments when I&amp;#039;m tan.&amp;quot; Then, of course, there&amp;#039;s everyone&amp;#039;s favorite: &amp;quot;It makes me look thinner.&amp;quot;  But looks and self-esteem are only a part of the equation, according to Amy Wechsler, M.D., a New York dermatologist and psychiatrist, who sees sun-worshipping patients all too often in her practice. And she blames the pineal gland: &amp;quot;Light acts on this ancient part of the brain to release calming melatonin, and is also believed to act on other parts of the brain to increase feel-good, depression-fighting chemicals such as norepinephrine and serotonin,&amp;quot; she explains. The light doesn&amp;#039;t even have to come from the sun: &amp;quot;Full-spectrum lightbulbs, which don&amp;#039;t emit UV, replicate the sun&amp;#039;s visible light without the skin-damaging effects,&amp;quot; says Wechsler. Still, she concedes that filling your home with mood-boosting bulbs won&amp;#039;t completely quell the tanning urge. &amp;quot;Even in medicine, very pale skin is associated with sickness, so who can be expected to forgo a healthy glow?&amp;quot; She also recognizes that a tan helps disguise veininess, cellulite, and acne -- and gives you a magical airlift back to happy, carefree, childhood summer memories.  So what are the skin cancer prevention forces to do? &amp;quot;Most people still think cancer won&amp;#039;t happen to them,&amp;quot; says Wechsler. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s more the aesthetic sun damage that freaks women out.&amp;quot; In short, vanity is best fought with vanity: Is that transient tan really worth a lifetime of wrinkles, mottling, and rough patches? Certainly not -- especially when convincing faux glows are now so easy to come by. &amp;quot;With fake tanning, there&amp;#039;s no downside,&amp;quot; says Wechsler. &amp;quot;You get all the color and none of the damage.&amp;quot; And if you add a really good sunblock to the equation (SPF 30 is the new 15), &amp;quot;you can still be out in the sun and get the natural high.&amp;quot;  But for all the good doctor&amp;#039;s wisdom, I now answer to a higher authority: my 3-year-old niece, Sigal. A Tucson girl herself, and the self-appointed SPF police, she won&amp;#039;t even hear of going outside until everyone has been duly and copiously &amp;quot;creamed.&amp;quot; C&amp;#039;mon. Be a big girl. Don&amp;#039;t make her come after you.  See if your mole may be trouble on the next page. Here&amp;#039;s a breakdown of some of the skin spots that may cause trouble. Some are no big deal; others are dangerous.   Name: Seborrheic keratosisWhat is that?  An accumulation of skin cells that have built up rather than exfoliated themselves off.Danger level: Safe. &amp;quot;They look scary, but they&amp;#039;re not dangerous,&amp;quot; says Bank. And they&amp;#039;re easily removed by a doctor.   Name: Malignant melanomaWhat is that? Melanoma is a cancer of the skin&amp;#039;s pigment-producing cells, and the most dangerous of skin cancers. You may have heard to check for the ABCDEs, signposts of a possible melanoma, when examining moles: A) Asymmetrical shape. B) Irregular border. C) Varied color. D) Diameter is greater than a pencil eraser. E) Mole is elevated. Two more clues: A mole suddenly grows, itches, or bleeds. &amp;quot;Or,&amp;quot; says Dr. Bank, &amp;quot;it just doesn&amp;#039;t look like anything else you have.&amp;quot;Danger level: Danger. &amp;quot;Theoretically, all melanomas should be curable,&amp;quot; says Bank, &amp;quot;but as they burrow down into the lymphatic systems, the survival rate drops.&amp;quot; Even if none of the ABCDE criteria is met, get an annual full-body exam at the dermatologist&amp;#039;s office. If a few of the criteria are met, have the mole checked as soon as possible. And if all five criteria are met, &amp;quot;get in a taxi to your derm&amp;#039;s office,&amp;quot; says Bank.   Name: Angio-fibromaWhat is that? A skin-color combination of broken blood vessels and collagen tissue, often on or near the nose.Danger level: Safe. They&amp;#039;re totally benign, though they can sometimes be mistaken for basal cell cancers. But cancers typically grow and grow, while angiofibromas tend to both swell and shrink.   Name: Actinic keratosis What is that? A low-grade, precancerous patch of skin. &amp;quot;You feel them more than see them,&amp;quot; says Bank. &amp;quot;They feel like fine sandpaper.&amp;quot;Danger level: Caution. The risk of any actinic keratosis becoming cancerous is moderate, but have it removed just to be safe. Name: Atypical nevusWhat is that? A mole that may at one point have had melanoma potential, but now it&amp;#039;s fine.Danger level: Watch. One atypical nevus is usually no problem, but multiple atypical nevi may indicate a greater chance of developing melanoma.   Name: Basal cell carcinomaWhat is that? The most common type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinomas develop below the surface of the skin. They can be hard to recognize: Keep an eye out for the &amp;quot;pimple&amp;quot; that won&amp;#039;t go away, or a scab that keeps appearing.Danger level: Warning. Although basal cell carcinomas rarely spread internally, there is the risk of destroying nearby tissue and causing disfigurement. Have it removed sooner rather than later.   Name: Squamous cell carcinoma What is that? This skin cancer is typically a reddish patch on the outer layer of skin that&amp;#039;s rough to the touch. Again, watch for that nonhealing sore or scab.Danger level: Danger. Squamous cell cancers occasionally metastasize internally, so it&amp;#039;s important to have them removed early. Certain sites, including lips, scalp, and ears, are more prone to spreading.   Name: Sebaceous hyperplasiaWhat is that? An individual oil gland that has become enlarged and visible to the naked eye.Danger level: Safe. Often mistaken for pimples, sebaceous hyperplasias are not at all dangerous and are removable with the V-Beam laser or shrinkable with low-dose Accutane.   Name: Normal moleWhat is that? A garden-variety mole is a mark on the skin made by your pigment-producing cells that doesn&amp;#039;t meet the ABCDE criteria.Danger level: Watch. Not dangerous, but always keep an eye out for any changes. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/body/health-fitness/advice/a213/why-we-fry-yl/>