LOS ANGELES—Results released from a landmark national survey of dermatologists and consumers showed there is a major gap between what dermatologists recommend and what Americans actually do when it comes to sun-safe behavior. This gap further highlights the need for continued education to reverse the skin cancer epidemic in the United States. As a result, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) and Neutrogena have partnered on Choose Skin HealthTM, a multi-faceted, national education campaign, to offer free skin cancer screenings across the country and educate people on how to take charge of their skin health by adopting sun-safe behaviors 365 days a year.
While one in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of their lifetime, the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, found only one in five people (20 percent) wear sunscreen on a daily basis, even though 94 percent of Americans know that prolonged exposure to the sun can cause skin damage and even skin cancer.
“Ultimately, these survey results show people aren’t taking sun safety as seriously as they should,” said Jeffrey Dover, M.D., FRCPC, president of ASDS. “We should be limiting our exposure to direct sun rays and putting on sunscreen in the morning should be as automatic as putting a seatbelt on when you get into a car. The other key component is skin screening. We are proud that our members are providing free skin cancer screenings across the country, and we encourage people to download the Skin Cancer Self Examination Kit on the campaign Web site.”
Another surprising survey finding was while many Americans are taking steps that will likely help maintain or improve their body as a whole, such as drinking lots of water (68 percent) and eating a balanced diet (50 percent), far fewer are using sunscreen to maintain or improve their skin health, especially when compared to what dermatologists believe people should do for their skin.
“Skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy in this country and according to a recent study published in the Archives of Dermatology, it has reached epidemic proportions,” said Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., M.S., clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, adjunct professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and member of the Choose Skin Health Advisory Board. “It is so important for people to be aware of this threat, because it is a type of cancer that is preventable. For those who may be worried because they spent years as sun worshipers, they should know that skin cancer is 99 percent curable when detected early.”
Jennifer Garner, actress and Neutrogena® Brand ambassador, also knows the importance of sun safety, stating, “Now in its third year, I am proud to be a part of the Choose Skin Health education campaign. Sun safety is important and I encourage you to visit www.chooseskinhealth.com to learn how you can best protect your skin and find a free skin cancer screening in your area.”
Dermatologist Survey Methodology
The sunscreen study was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Neutrogena between Feb. 25 to March 2, 2010, among 256 U.S. dermatologists. All survey respondents were identified via the American Medical Association (AMA) masterfile. Figures for sex, years in practice and region were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.
Consumer Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Neutrogena from March 26 to 30, 2010, among 2,222 adults ages 18 and older. Results were weighted as needed to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.