Melanoma risk: adolescent females’ perspectives on skin protection pre/post-viewing a ultraviolet photoaged photograph of their own facial sun damage

Abstract

Suntanning increases skin cancer risk and prematurely ages skin. Photoageing photography is an effective means of increasing adult ultraviolet radiation (UVR) awareness and skin-protection practices. While adults' largely positive suntanning-deterrence responses to photoageing photography are well-documented, comparatively little is known about the deterrence effectiveness of photoageing photography with adolescents. To help fill this knowledge gap, in-depth interviews were collected from 10 adolescent females and were subsequently subjected to interpretive phenomenological analysis. The emergent central theme - Having a tan and looking good in the short-term is okay, however, in the longer-term you can end up looking far worse… but still a tan is worth it - and its component subthemes reveal that the adolescent female's desire for a suntan is largely appearance driven. While photoaged photography is effective in increasing their awareness of the skin damage that UVR exposure causes, it does not alter their suntanning intentions. The analysis also revealed that one of the major barriers to adolescent females' adoption of skin-protective behaviours is their belief in their own invincibility. Hence, skin-protection interventions that lessen the aura of invincibility around adolescent females' understanding of their risk for developing skin cancers are vital to reducing the incidence of malignant melanoma.

A characterization of sun protection attitudes and behaviors among children and adolescents in the United States

“…17 On the other hand, for adolescents in general and females in particular, a sense of invincibility may serve as a barrier to sun protective behaviors. In a small study of adolescent females in England, subjects believed looking tan in the short-term was worth the risk of cosmetic and health consequences in the long-term (Eastabrook et al, 2016). Our finding that behavior differs by gender and by age aligns with the existing literature, emphasizing the need for interventions tailored to the specific beliefs of a precisely-targeted population.…”

Skin Cancer in the US Military

“…This belief set is thought to at least partially explain why adolescents in Australia are the most knowledgeable age cohort regarding the dangers of UV exposure but the least likely to engage in skin-protective measures. 18 This inflated sense of invincibility may be leading activeduty military servicemembers to engage in unhealthy sun-exposure practices regardless of knowledge of the associated risks.…”

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: Progress report, 2016

“…Qualitative research suggests that the desire for a tan outweighs concerns about future risks of photoageing and skin cancer. 71 In Hungary, 74% of 12-19 year olds had experienced at least one serious sunburn, 5% purposely sunbathed daily, and 10% did not use any form of sun protection. 72 In Ireland, which has the highest incidence of CMM in Europe, nearly 50% of a sample of Cork university students reported deliberate tanning in the previous summer.73 Parents use sun protection measures more commonly for their children than for themselves.74 A systematic review of the evidence showed that a high proportion of people diagnosed with CMM reported subsequent sunbathing (up to two-thirds at least once since diagnosis), sunburns (60% at least once in a 3-year period) and indoor tanning (up to a quarter of survivors) and did not practice skin self-examination.…”