Shine Safe Summer Series: Skin Cancer and You
Summer is upon us and that means sun safety is more crucial than ever!
That’s why we partnered with advocate Celine Mactaggart of Shine Safe, a non-profit and advocacy movement that is setting the sun on skin cancer. In our Shine Safe Summer Series, Celine brings you the best in prevention, sun safety, and summer inspiration.
A few years ago when thinking about how to start Shine Safe, the nonprofit I founded to be a platform for skin cancer awareness, I wondered what kind of outreach we could do to help people be more mindful of their sun exposure. So I met with a pediatric dermatologist from UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to learn more. Considering her credentials, it should come as no surprise that she had valuable information to share. But one of the things that stood out to me was a simple anecdote she relayed about a mother who had recently brought her teenage daughter in for a skin exam. Despite trying to offer sun safe solutions to the young girl’s active tanning, the daughter simply wouldn’t listen. Anyone with teenagers might relate to how difficult these safety-oriented conversations can be. But it is precisely the difficulties that make youth education, one of our greatest challenges and highest priority in terms of long term prevention. Young adult education is also an important component of our mission, since melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in young women ages 25-30 (Melanoma Research Foundation). Tanning bed use is something dermatologists see often in younger patients — especially with the proliferation of homogenizing beauty standards on social media platforms like Instagram. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, “just one indoor tanning session can increase the risk of developing skin cancer - melanoma by 20%, squamous cell carcinoma by 67%, and basal cell carcinoma by 29%.”
The margins are that slim.
Given all of this, I found myself asking: Who will young people listen to when it comes to skin health? We must be mindful of listening to board-certified dermatologists who have gone through extensive training and education. But in the spirit of “it takes a village,” who else is out there advocating for skin cancer prevention? That's why I created Shine Safe Voices, an interview series dedicated to sharing stories of advocacy from all corners of the sun safety community. Through this initiative, we have connected with amazing and enterprising advocates who have built their work, companies, and reputations around skin cancer prevention — from the beauty industry to dermatology and beyond.
Katonya Breaux, the founder of Unsun Cosmetics, founded her company in 2016 after noticing a lack of sunscreen options on the marketplace for women of color. "A visit to the dermatologist alerted me [to this issue].... I had black moles that were quickly developing on my face, which were the result of sun damage," Katonya says. "I started wearing sunscreen right away... I never as a Black woman knew that sunscreen was something I needed... I believed my melanin would protect me; I was wrong.” Katonya’s advocacy for sun safety is prevalent on their Instagram account (@unsuncosmetics), which also highlights the need for inclusivity in skin cancer outreach and awareness-raising more broadly. After all, skin cancer affects people of all skin tones. Nyakio Grieco, the founder of Nyakio Beauty, "a clean and green skincare line inspired by my family's beauty secrets," shares Katonya's beliefs on this topic. She writes:
Sun safety is crucial when it comes to health and beauty. Sun protection is important 365 days a year. As a woman of color, I really want to help spread that message to our communities. The beauty industry has work to do in sharing that messaging in a bigger way, especially with people of color, and I hope that I can help to move the needle with this important movement.
It is clear that beauty founders in the health and wellness arena are rising supporters of sun safety education. True “influencers” in this space do not promote active tanning with filtered lenses. True "influencers" do not propagate perceptions of beauty where a tan is needed to make you look "beautiful." True leaders are mindful of your health. Jenna Rosenstein, Beauty Director of Bazaar.com, notes, "If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s the notion that pale skin is sickly or unsexy. I was often teased as child for being so fair in Florida—and I would always counter by explaining my mom’s [melanoma] diagnosis and why I chose not to get color. It’s okay to love and cherish your natural skin color. All skin is beautiful!" Georgie Eisdell, a prominent celebrity makeup artist who has created looks for the likes of Lucy Liu, Gwyneth Paltrow, America Ferrera and Naomi Watts, shares: “I had a skin cancer removed a few years ago, so it is a very important part of my beauty routine and I make it a big part of my clients' too.” Kayla Greaves, InStyle Magazine’s Senior Beauty Editor, writes, “I wear SPF every single day – whether it's raining, sunny, cold or warm.” Suffice to say, our biggest allies in skin cancer prevention come from all corners of the beauty and health industry. There are so many celebrity make-up artists, beauty editors, and entrepreneurs who are creating compelling content that is appealing to teenagers, young adults, and more.
And this educational work is more important than ever. Consider this:
The incidences of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, have doubled during the past three decades in the US (Melanoma Research Alliance)
Excessive sun exposure, even without sunburn, increases your risk of skin cancer (Mayo Clinic). Furthermore, even if you are tan or your skin type is dark and your skin does not redden, the sun can cause cellular damage that can lead to cancer. (Skin Cancer Foundation)
Even one (!) blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than DOUBLES your chances of developing melanoma later in life. (Skin Cancer Foundation)
So when you see a message or image posted about tanning, having “fun in the sun,” or being “sun-kissed,” ask yourself: Is this normalizing, or even glorifying, a potentially dangerous health habit? Who is this message coming from? And who is it for? Thankfully, the sun safety advocacy community is larger than even I expected, and it is fueled by many entrepreneurial, altruistic, and dedicated women. These inspiring, positive voices represent a huge opportunity to educate our younger loved ones. This village is much larger than you think, and if you listen to their experiences and expertise, it might just save your - or your loved one’s - life.
Celine Mactaggart is the founder of Shine Safe, the first nonprofit founded to increase awareness for skin cancer prevention with digital campaigns and integrated media. As the wife of a melanoma survivor, she hopes to inspire people to be sun safe by taking active steps towards prevention, and increase access to care and education for people. She has a master’s degree in nonprofit administration and a background in hospital philanthropy. She is the current Board Chair of Women in Leadership and Philanthropy at the University of San Francisco and has served on the Board of Regents at St. Mary’s College, a Trustee at UC Berkeley’s Cal Performances, and a Board Member at the George Mark Children’s House and Girls on the Run Bay Area. Celine is co-founder of Californians for Consumer Privacy, the group that spearheaded the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act which gives nearly 40 million Californians the strongest data privacy rights in the country and is sponsoring the California Privacy Rights Act initiative for the November 2020 ballot to make these rights even stronger.