Question:
Do you have any evidence that sunscreen actually reduces incidence of skin cancer?
I've never seen any (but I seem to recall seeing the opposite).
Vitamin D has been shown to reduce incidence of skin cancer...the
vitamin D you get from sun exposure.
We're not talking sunburn here, which is a bad thing (TM).
Answer:
I've read reports that are a bit different from what you are
suggesting. First, there is some research that now shows that extant
melanomas are less virulent when exposed to sunlight. That finding does
not address how the melanoma forms (incidence) in the first place.
Second, while studies are showing that there are vitamin D (and
probably other) benefits from sunlight that the amount of exposure to
gain these benefits is quite modest- under a half hour a day as I
remember.
And to your last point- clearly sunscreen and/or protective clothing
reduces sunburns as well as UV exposure and thus skin cancer. One
problem wiht some of the studies may well be that most folks do not
apply sufficient sunscreen to gt the full benefit. It requires quite a
bit of sunscree, ~ 2 teaspoons for just the head and face for full
protection.
It's interesting to note that around the world almost all folks that
live and work outdoors in high sunshine,high UV environments utilize
clothing that covers almost all the body. Functionaly cowboys and
construction workers in Arizona dress the same as arabs.
