Are you more concerned about avoiding skin cancer or getting enough vitamin D?

You can't be afraid of going outside, plus 30 minutes outside can't give you skin cancer.

Guess what science is finally realizing combats skin cancer? Sunshine! Guess what science is finally realizing causes skin cancer? Sunscreen! Sunscreen, like margarine, soy, breakfast cereal, and so many other things, were promoted as "healthy options," but are now being shown to have been horribly unhealthy, and promoted with lies to reap huge profits.

I am a night person so I take a supplement.

Well I'm a red head and my wether my skin burns or not is utterly unpredictable. Moreover, a lot of my (teenaged) friends have had suspicious looking legions removed from their skin. I'd rather like to avoid it. Also, I get vitamin D wether I'm wearing sunscreen or not. The only time my body registers a deficiency is in the winter because almost no sun permeates Vienna for almost three months and it's too cold to stay outside.

Also, if the pheomelanin pigment was a direct trigger for skin cancer, our bodies would have abandoned it and there would be no more redheads.

People acting like vampires or something.

"Ah! The sun! It burns! Must hide until it goes away!"

if i drank any more milk i would feel it necessary to formally introduce mai self to the cow and invite her out for dinner and maybe dancing.

Honestly, I just think we're all going to die of something, and if I get skin cancer from enjoying the sun then I will kill myself before I get too sick and that will be that. I don't want a life of constantly hiding from and fearing the sun. I love the sun, and if the sun kills me then at least I spent my short time on earth enjoying life.

Getting sufficient vitamin D makes it *much less likely* to get any form of cancer.

Seems to be an increase in people who lack Vitamin D. Or it must be common in the north!

D deficiency is very common in the north (anything north of the 37th parallel.) This is due to the angle of the sunlight which is filtered out too much for proper D producing exposure.

Thanks! That was a guess of mine, but I didn't know why it was a deficiency!

EVERYTHING is a trigger for some form of cancer, according to medical studies.
best way to avoid cancer? kill yourself.

Don't care about either.

Skin cancer b/c I haven't really cared bout Vitamin D, although probably should. But some people I know has/had skin cancer so..

Our sun is somewhat relentless here lol. I still like to get my vitamin D from the sun (and supplements if need be.) But, I've seen skin cancer up close. I shall stick to my slip, slop and slap routine, thank you very much.

I am fighting skin cancer brought on by the sun.

It does not take much sunlight to get enough vitamin D. Only about 15mins each day on arms and torso. Most people are more likely to get too much sun than too little. Just another reason I dislike tanning.

I worry about it all the time.

I go outside a lot and drink tons of milk, so I'm not concerned about not getting enough Vitamin D, but I am so scared to get skin cancer. I know it's like hell. Why would I want that? If I got skin cancer, I would have just done it to myself...

I have worked in the sun most of my life. I am fair skinned, and started getting "pre cancer growths on my arms & face. in the late 1980's i started getting squamish cell & basal cell tumors on my arms & face. In 2000 I started wearing long sleeves & gloves all the time. I stopped getting tumors until 2005 when a tumor was surgically removed & found to be Melanoma. All of it was removed, and no more have developed fortunately.

I've already had skin cancer.

I am sorry, is it gone now?

I can take a Vitamin D supplement.

Call your Physician to find out the new recommendations on Vitamin D intake. If you are taking it under a Physician's orders, don't just stop. Find out from your Doctor first. We all should be taking skin precautions when outdoors, starting with sunscreen, long sleeves, and a large-brimmed hat. Don't forget a good pair of sunglasses to protect the lens in your eyes, too much sun and glare will hasten the development of catarracts-clouding of the Lens.

Sorry to say, My dermatologist informed me not to rely on a wide brimmed hat, as the dangerous UV rays reflect off concrete & asphalt surfaces. The hat helps slightly, but should be used along with sunscreen.

That's what I said...."...Starting with sunscreen, long sleeves, and a large-brimmed hat."

I understand, I was clarifying for those that think they can do without the sunscreen

Thank You, Dweezy! ;-) Sunscreen is good sense for everybody, especially kids. Here in Hawaii, where everybody heads to the beach on the really-hot days, many stores now routinely stock SPF 50 surf shirts--stretchy rayon-polyester-spandex-- in sizes 6months thru 4-5XL, just because of the frequency of skin cancer in younger and younger people, and public demand. If you want a tan, go to the make-up aisle and buy a bottle of self-tanner, or use Jergen's Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer[what I've been using] which has a built-in self-tanner that looks natural, not orange, and works fast. It takes about 3 days to a week of daily application after your bath, and people will start asking you how you got so tan. :-) It is available in light-medium-and dark,[ I like the Dark initially, because it works faster than the med. and light]--I use it 2-3x/week--medium shade--after initial week to maintain the tan--It will not absorb well if used in combo with another moisturizer, so must use other moisturizers on the off-days...I don't put it on my face, just my arms and legs. experiment with what ever shades you like--doesn't work overnight--personal skin tones will react differently. I have heard that there are now several moisturizer-self tanner products out there in the drugstores that rival Jergen's--I encourage evryone to try these different products and post your results as comments--It helps all of us!

I`ve experienced them both. One is a lot more painful than the other.

I have been extremely paranoid about melanoma ever since I first heard about it, around age 12 or so. I don't spend much time out in the sun, and all that it takes to get a day's worth of vitamin D, is 20 minutes since I'm hispanic (10 minutes if you're white, and possibly 120 if you're black, since our natural protection against skin cancer also makes it harder for us to absorb the radiation that helps us produce it). I get that much, generally.

I don't care about either one of them, actually. But I can get Vitamin D in cheese.

Don't really care. Um Cancer everywhere runs through my family. So if i get cancer i try to treat it and if it dosen't work then hey i had a nice run. If I don't that's great

NO Sweetie.....You haven`t had a nice run. (At 15 y.o.) Just take care of yourself.
Cancer also runs in my family. I`ve had a nice run. (I`m old)

I know

Well, the sun doesn't give you Vitamin D... it just helps you absorb it. I take supplements and apply spf80... I'm fine

Actually, the sun makes your body produce it. 10-60 minutes in the sun can make your body produce a day's worth of vitamin D.

Supplements, I don't need the sun

Well, I was simply correcting your assumption that the sun doesn't give you vitamin D, it actually does, and most people who are vitamin D deficient, don't know it unless they're tested.

Sun causes your body to produce Vit. D. 20 to 60 minutes a day usually does it. Outside before 9am, inside until 4pm. is the rule of thumb for Hawaii...I stay in until 4:30- 5pm.--just my own paranoia.

Because cancer can kill, and lack of Vitamin D doesn't kill.