May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This May, The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN), a leading natural and organic products company, offers easy-to-follow tips to avoid that first Memorial Day Weekend sunburn by stressing the importance of safe, natural sunscreens formulated without risky chemicals.

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The sun is life-giving to the world's ecosystems, but without proper precautions, it can be deadly to the skin. Children are especially susceptible to the damaging effects of the sun due to their delicate skin and the longer hours they spend outdoors.  Soreness and pain aren't the only concerns; just one severe sunburn in childhood doubles the chances of developing melanoma later in life.

Research shows that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer.(1) In 2009, it was estimated that one American dies of melanoma almost every hour with men accounting for 65% of the fatalities.(2)

Behind every statistic is a real person. "As someone who survived skin cancer more than 15 years ago, I learned the hard way. Now I know how easy it is to take the small, daily steps that can protect your skin, and how important it is to see a dermatologist regularly for early detection with a full body screen," said Irwin D. Simon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hain Celestial.  In fact, early stage melanoma diagnosis has a survival rate between 95-97%.(3)  

Sun exposure is the most manageable risk factors for all forms of skin cancer, including melanoma.(1,2) But not all sunscreens use exactly the same ingredients. "The sunscreens that we develop at Hain Celestial offer exceptionally effective sun protection. And since our formulations are natural and non-toxic, they're safer for everyday use," said Emma Froelich Shea, Vice President of Marketing, Personal Care at Hain Celestial.

The JASON® and Alba Botanical® brands deliver effective protection without the risky chemicals commonly found in conventional sunscreens, such as avobenzone, oxybenzone or paraben preservatives. All formulas are non-greasy, non-whitening and utilize natural, active ingredients, including mineral sunscreens.

Hain Celestial encourages everyone to follow these simple steps to safety:

• Generously apply an effective broad-spectrum, natural or mineral sunscreen to all exposed areas. Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days.  Six Alba Botanical®, sun care products have garnered the impressive Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) Seal of Recommendation, including water-resistant Natural Very Emollient Kids and Sport Sunblocks. Widely recognized as a true testament to efficacy, the SCF Seal is given only to formulas that undergo additional efficacy testing to meet the stringent criteria required by the SCF.

• Be careful to pay extra attention to areas that are exposed year round, like the hands and face. JASON® C-Effects Pure Natural Anti-Wrinkle Day Lotion with SPF 30 is a great daily use product with its light, non-greasy, non-whitening, hydrating formula.

• For the delicate lip area, a protective salve, like Alba Botanical® Very Emollient Lip Balm SPF 20, treats the lips to soothing moisture and protects from the elements.

• Seek shade, especially when the sun's rays are strongest: between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

• Every birthday, check your birthday suit! See a dermatologist annually for a full-body screen.

• The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that we all learn our ABCDs. When checking moles at home, these are the signs of malignancy(4):

A: for asymmetry
B: for border irregularity
C: for color (look for uneven shades of black, brown or tan)
D: for diameter

This May, and all summer long, Hain Celestial encourages everyone to enjoy the outdoors with effective natural and mineral sun protection products to keep skin safe and protected.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

The Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ: HAIN), headquartered in Melville, NY, is a leading natural and organic products company in North America and Europe. Hain Celestial participates in many natural categories with well-known brands that include Celestial Seasonings®, Earth's Best®, Terra®, Garden of Eatin'®, Sensible Portions®, Health Valley®, Arrowhead Mills®, MaraNatha®, SunSpire®, DeBoles®, Gluten Free Cafe™, Hain Pure Foods®, Hollywood®, Spectrum Naturals®, Spectrum Essentials®, Walnut Acres Organic®, Imagine®, Almond Dream®, Rice Dream®, Soy Dream®, WestSoy®, The Greek Gods®, Ethnic Gourmet®, Yves Veggie Cuisine®, Granose®, Realeat®, Linda McCartney®, Daily Bread™, Lima®, Danival®, GG UniqueFiber™, Grains Noirs®, Natumi®, JASON®, Zia® Natural Skincare, Avalon Organics®, Alba Botanica®, Queen Helene®, Tushies®, Earth's Best TenderCare® and Martha Stewart Clean™.  Hain Celestial has been providing "A Healthy Way of Life™" since 1993.  For more information, visit www.hain-celestial.com.

References

(1)  Robinson JK. Sun Exposure, Sun Protection, and Vitamin D. JAMA 2005; 294: 1541-43.

(2)  American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2010.

(3)  American Cancer Society.  Learn About Cancer  http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/SkinCancer-Melanoma/DetailedGuide/melanoma-skin-cancer-survival-rates

(4)  The American Academy of Dermatology  http://www.aad.org/skin-care-and-safety/skin-cancer-prevention/be-sun-smart/be-sun-smart

SOURCE The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.