Although shorter women can’t be runway supermodels, they may have one advantage: women who stand below 5 foot 6 inches tall are 30 percent less likely to develop skin melanoma than their taller counterparts, according to research from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, reported in the August 2008 issue of Self. There are several reasons why taller women may be more susceptible to skin cancer. The first is that height may be linked with the production of higher levels of hormones that increase skin cancer risk. The second is that height may cause for taller women to absorb greater levels of damaging UV rays. Although shorter women receive more indirect UV light reflection from the ground, taller women have greater contact with UV rays. The third and final possibility is that taller women may just spend more time in the sun. (And really now, if you have legs like Gabrielle Reece, who wouldn’t live on the beach, lol).
Interesting study, indeed. 🙂 No matter what your height, avoid the sun between peak hours of 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. (except for 15 minutes/week, to avoid vitamin D deficiency); wear an SPF of at least 30 every day; and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when you must be in the sun.
Come back tomorrow for a review of Priori Radical Defense! 🙂