Be Sun Safe for Skin Cancer Awareness Month
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, but don鈥檛 let this potentially deadly disease get under your skin. Brush up on your skin cancer knowledge, including how to spot the signs and prevention best practices, with our sun safety tips.听
Not the Good Kind of Growth听听
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, according to the .听
鈥淭here are three major types of skin cancers,鈥 says Anna Pavlick, D.O., medical oncologist, skin cancer expert, and director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program at 麻豆高清. 鈥淏asal cell carcinoma is the most common. Squamous cell carcinoma is second, and, finally, there鈥檚 .鈥听
According to Dr. Pavlick, roughly one in two people will be diagnosed with basal cell cancer sometime in their life. Most basal cell cancers grow slowly and are highly treatable. Early forms of basal cell carcinomas can easily be removed by your dermatologist.听
Squamous cell carcinomas in the skin also grow slowly. However, this type of skin cancer can grow deeply, potentially harming anything in the way, including blood vessels and nerves. Squamous cell carcinoma can also develop from actinic keratosis (a form of pre-cancer) on the skin. When detected early, squamous cell carcinoma is also highly treatable.听
Both basal and squamous cell carcinomas form because of harmful sun ultraviolet (UV) rays.听
Spotting the Signs of Skin Cancer听
If you develop skin cancer, the sooner it鈥檚 detected, the higher chance you can treat it successfully. To help you spot the , get to know your skin with a self-check regularly. Locate any moles, freckles or birthmarks and look for the ABCDEs of skin cancer :听
- Asymmetry. One half of the spot doesn鈥檛 match the other half.听
- Border irregularity. The edges of the spot are ragged, irregular or not well-defined.听
- Color. The color isn鈥檛 consistent and brown, black, white, red or blue areas.听
- Diameter. The size of melanoma is generally around six millimeters or the size of a pencil eraser.听
- Evolution. The spot changes in size, shape or color. The spot may even change symptoms, such as tenderness or itching.听
For a thorough , examine your body in a full-length mirror. Don鈥檛 forget to look under your arms, between your toes and the soles of your feet. You can use a mirror to check behind your neck, back and scalp.听
Be Mindful of Melanoma听
鈥淩oughly one in five people in the United States by the age of 70 is going to get diagnosed with melanoma,鈥 Dr. Pavlick says. 鈥淢elanoma likes to grow deep into the layers of the skin. It can get into what we call our lymphatics or our lymph channels that lead to lymph nodes, or it can get into blood vessels. And once cancer cells enter either the lymphatics or blood vessels, they can spread to other parts of the body. And that's why melanoma is the deadliest of all the skin cancers.鈥听
Melanoma can occur anywhere on the skin, and certain things can increase your risk of developing this deadly skin cancer. Risk factors include:听
- Fair complexions. People with fair skin that freckles or burns easily have an increased risk of developing melanoma. Fair complexions also include light-colored eyes and blond or red hair.听
- Family or personal history. Moles or melanoma running in your family or personal history increases your risk.听
- History of blistering sunburns. Many blistering sunburns, especially as a child or teen, can make you more likely to develop melanoma.听
- Weakened immune system.听
Although being white or having a fair complexion increases the risk, anyone can develop melanoma.听
The Battle of the Rays听
The risk from sun exposure comes from UV radiation, and two different types contribute to skin cancers鈥擴VA and UVB.听
鈥淯VA is primarily responsible for the tanning response,鈥 says Andrew F. Alexis, M.D., MPH, Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Dermatology and dermatologist at the Center for Diverse Skin Complexions at 麻豆高清. 鈥淯VA can penetrate the skin deeper and contribute to the risk of skin cancer. UVB is the wavelength of ultraviolet radiation from the sun that contributes to the redness that one can get or other features of a burn. It's easy to remember: UVB for burning.鈥听
UVA and UVB are damaging to the skin and associated with an increased risk for skin cancer.听
The Power of Prevention听
You have a bright future! Prevent skin cancer with these summer safety tips:听
- Ban the tan. There is no such thing as a safe tan. Any changes in skin color are a sign of injury, not health. Indoor tanning dramatically increases your risk of developing all types of skin cancers. If you use a tanning bed before age 20, your risk of developing melanoma can increase by 47%. The risk rises with every use, according to the (AAD).听
- Cover up from head to toe. Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants or skirts that provide UV ray protection when possible. Put on a hat with a brim all the way around your head to cover your face, ears and neck. Sunglasses with UV protection can protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes.听
- Don鈥檛 feel the burn. Like tanning, sunburns considerably increase your risk of developing skin cancers.听
- Have fun in the shade. Reduce sun exposure by sticking to the shade. Use an umbrella or find a tree or shelter to protect yourself from UV rays.听
- We all scream for sunscreen. Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Put a thick layer of sunscreen on every exposed skin surface every two hours and after you swim, sweat or towel off. Be sure to also check the expiration date. If there isn鈥檛 one listed, it likely has a shelf life of no longer than three years.听
If you鈥檙e going outside, try to avoid times when the sun is strongest. In the United States, this is typically from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.听
If you spot an area of concern, request an appointment with a dermatologist near you.听