1. Features
REDBRICK 1308 / 9th MARCH 11
Weird
Science Dying for a tan? A Day in the Life of...
A depressed student
Elisa Holbrook introduces us to break away from the pri-
mary site and are free to By Julia Shortt
skin cancer and urges you not to circulate in blood and
lymph to find a new home
become another fashion victim anywhere in your body.
The cancer cells can even EVER been told that you
THE tan used to be no instructions wrong then secrete factors that allow were absolutely mental
more than the marking of the end product will turn them to move! by your friends? Yeah, I
a peasant labourer, but it out wrong. Cancer is Cultures won’t thought so. Ever been
is now the ultimate fash- merely uncontrolled cell change over night. To all told that you were
ion accessory of the growth, like weeds. Left the sun-worshippers: absolutely mental by
Western world and the without management, Cancer Research UK rec- your GP? No? I didn't
sign of a good holiday fol- weeds may outcompete ommends no lower pro- think so. I have. I have
lowing Coco Chanel’s and overcome neighbour- tection than SPF15. As Chronic Depression,
yachting trip in 1923. ing plants. stated on the bottles: which believe it or not is
While people lie and cook We have genes that avoid midday sun. If you actually a mental disor-
themselves alive, are they code for these managers don’t want to look like a der, just as much as
aware of the damage they that garden our cells and pachyderm (think rhino conditions such as
Simon Bishop are doing? guard them from uncon- hide) and end up on Ten schizophrenia are. This
Ultraviolet light dam- trolled cell proliferation. Years Younger at 30 for disorder actually affects
on the trend of age from the sun - our life However, should muta- looking aged, then wear a about four in ten of us
energy - also has the sin- tions occur in these genes sun hat to protect the vis- at one point or other in
being scared to ister ability to take it that provide protection age that people fall over our lives. It’s crippling;
away, by inducing the from cancer (tumour sup- themselves to maintain. when I was at my worst,
tell the truth greatest number of can- pressor genes) then this UV radiation is the prime my depression showed
cers of all carcinogens. regulation may be lost, culprit for premature age- itself in a psychosomat- things to do with my
“DAWN of the GM How can it do this? allowing the cell to divide ing and wrinkles, which ic way. This meant that family situation; my
babies?” asked the front The answer lies with- uncontrollably. UV radia- may frighten the vain whenever I felt threat- mother’s in a wheelchair
page of The Daily Mail in our DNA. As soon as tion can also suppress the more than fatal cancer. ened, I threw up. Not with Chronic Multiple
last Saturday. “Ministers our DNA is subjected to immune system allowing Limited exposure over an just once, but every five Scleroses, and I watched
have given the green damage from UV light, some skin cancers to extended period of time minutes. I would get a great aunt die when I
light to research that into cycles of throwing was sixteen. There were
raises the disturbing up, not eating for weeks other things in my past
prospect of ‘genetically at a time. My record for that included bullying
modified babies’. not eating because I was and suicide attempts
Oh dear, oh dear. throwing up so vehe- that also precipitated
What a terrifying world mently is two months. my depression. But it
we live in. Not, I should Understandably, isn’t always the ones
add, because the when I started showing with broken homes that
prospect of “an era of these symptoms, both suffer from this, and
eugenics” is just around my GP and myself had many people aren’t as
the corner (because it no idea about what was open about their prob-
isn’t), but because we going on. For the whole lems as I am. Many
have a media engine of my AS year I was fer- things cause depres-
using blatant lies to ried between several sion. These can include
scare the public. If you hospitals whilst they trauma, stress, physical
bought that newspaper poked and prodded me illness, eating disorders,
copy, I challenge you to to find a physical reason and even genes can play
read on and you will find for my throwing up. To a part.
the truth: government date I have had several If you show symp-
legislation will indeed operations and three toms such as suicidal
allow study of live MRI scans which showed thoughts, irritability,
embryos to understand nothing. Throughout decreased interest in
inherited disorders, but this whole ordeal I was your usual activities and
embryos will not be terrified. My depression changes in sleep pat-
allowed to develop intensified when I terns then I really do
beyond 14 days and will realised that because I suggest that you see a
never be implanted into Selly Oak’s very own tanning salon Photo: Anna Samuel had been out of school doctor. I also want to
a womb. Designer babies for so long, my friends stress, without sound-
are illegal and will stay alterations occur. The establish themselves. with sunscreen is better had deserted me ing like a medical text-
that way. double-stranded helix Skin cancer (malig- than short lobster-red because I was such a book, that talking about
The point is, of comprises four different nant melanoma) is the inducing stints. Better wreck. The gossips of your problems and cry-
course, that you have to types of bases that pair uncontrolled growth of still, fake it. If ever there the school had laid bets ing is fine. If you have a
look hard for the real together across DNA melanocytes, skin cells was a time to fake any- on me dying before the friend that has this con-
information. Much of strands: cytosine always that produce melanin thing, now is the time to year was out. dition please remember
science is hidden behind pairs with guanine; ade- (skin pigmentation), the do it. Fake tan is widely Now this all sounds that it is a mental condi-
scare stories, which are nine always pairs with major indication being a available to cater for both horrible and maudlin tion, they can’t help it,
often easier to believe. thymine. These form the change in size, shape, ends of the market, and is but help did arrive in don’t whatever you do
The aforementioned rungs of the familiar lad- colour or texture of a a lot better for your skin the shape of a represen- tell them to “pull your-
copy of The Daily Mail is der structure. Thymine mole. Fair-skinned people than pure electromagnet- tative for the highly self together!” If I had a
only one such example, (“T”) should pair across are most at risk from UV ic radiation. You can even prodigious Rehab clinic pound for everytime
but it is a particularly with adenine (“A”), but UV radiation as they have the feign having been on hol- The Priory. They gave someone said that, I
bad one. It claims that light causes adjacent least amount of natural iday and, being students, me an option to take my would be a rich woman.
legislation is a stepping- thymine bases to bond melanin protecting their a bottle of fake tan is life back with medica- Be there for them, get
stone for the instead. This is the most skin. thriftier than a trip tion and therapy, or be them to go out, even if
Government’s own plan common alteration. If the Should a mole abroad or sunbed treat- locked up. As you can it’s not a heavy night
to allow designer babies, cell replicates itself unre- change, consult your GP ments. guess I took the former out. Above all listen to
conveniently masking paired, the ladder is left straight away and if Above all, look after option. For three years them, after all depres-
the countless benefits distorted with a bulge. appropriate you will be your skin, and respect the now I have had a team sion is a curable dis-
from studies into The replication machin- referred to the QED sun. You can’t control the of therapists working ease.
Parkinson’s disease and ery in the cell cannot (Quick and Easy environmental carcino- with me. It’s mostly ver- For more informa-
motor neurone disease, ‘read’ the DNA properly Diagnosis) Dermatology gens surrounding us all bal therapy with a little tion either go to Student
to name a few. and makes mistakes as if clinic at our local Selly the time but regulating about ways to change Support and
So, just to continue you were trying to read a Oak Hospital. Don’t be your sun exposure will my outlook on life. Up Counselling, or if you
this trend, here’s an arti- misprint – giving an afraid you are wasting reduce your chances of until November last year are too shy, this website
cle by Elisa Holbrook altered meaning, or in our anybody’s time; it is bet- developing skin cancer. I was on anti-depres- is good for the basics:
about skin cancer. But case, a mutated cell. ter to be safe than sorry. The jury is still out on sants too. I still speak to http://www.depres-
don’t worry. It contains Changing the code of Secondary cancers foods that increase or my therapists, no longer sion.com.
practical advice, and the DNA is serious (which spread, or ‘metas- decrease cancer suscepti- once a week to all three, As a postscript, I am
some actual scientific because each triplet of tasise’) are the real dan- bility and genetics has its but once a month or much better, I’m happy
content. You do not, I bases codes for amino ger, as they are usually part to play, but we don’t term depending on how and back to a very nor-
repeat, DO NOT need to acids which are the build- harder to treat. Skin can- all have to follow Coco I’m feeling. mal weight. It took me
avoid the sun at all ing blocks of our pro- cer can be treated topical- Chanel in the name of My depression four years, but it was
costs… teins. If you get the ly, but tumour cells can fashion. stemmed from several worth it.