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You might think that a bronze glow makes your body look great, but sunbathing is a potentially dangerous habit even if you use indoor tanning beds rather than lie outside by the pool. Despite the large number of people who think otherwise, ultraviolet (UV) rays from tanning machines can cause cancer just as easily as the sun?s UV rays.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the number of cases of melanoma?the most serious type of skin cancer?have more than doubled over the past 20 years. Skin cancer can be cured if it is found and treated in its early stages, but cancer cells may grow down into the skin and invade healthy tissues if left undiagnosed. Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body may be too difficult to control.
Skin Cancer Prevention
Not all skin cancer can be prevented, but practicing the following sun safety tips from the American Cancer Society while you?re outdoors can help lower your risk:
- Wear a shirt, cover-up, or other protective clothing?
- Apply sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 to all exposed areas of the body, even on cloudy days
- Wear a hat with a brim/visor
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the delicate skin surrounding them
- Seek shade whenever possible
Always remember that different types of shirts and clothing provide different levels of sun protection. Darker colors generally offer more protection than lighter colors, and some newer fabrics even have built-in UV protection. Remember that sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, and after swimming or sweating, to ensure continuous protection.
Skin Cancer Detection
The first symptom of skin cancer is often a new mole or change in an existing mole. Moles may become itchy, grow larger, or even begin to bleed. Four tips known as the A-B-C-D method are an easy way to help distinguish between a potentially cancerous mole and non-cancerous mole:
- Asymmetry: Cancerous moles, known as melanomas, are typically asymmetrical, meaning they are generally not round
- Border: Melanomas usually have irregular-shaped borders/outlines that are jagged or blurred
- Color: Cancerous moles are typically uneven in color with a variety of visible shades
- Diameter: Melanomas are usually larger than the eraser on a pencil while non-cancerous moles are typically smaller in size
Because the only way to diagnose melanoma skin cancer is to remove tissue and check the cells for cancer, the National Cancer Institute recommends that patients seek a doctor?s advice if they notice any new moles or changes in existing moles. Many dermatologists even recommend annual full-body mole checks to look for potentially cancerous melanomas.
It?s easy to forget your sunscreen or think that skin cancer only happens to other people, but anyone can get skin cancer. May is Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection Month, and Blake Medical Center urges you to take precautions to help lower your risk. If you have concerns about your skin, our free healthcare referral service Consult-A-Nurse? can help you find a dermatologist or other doctor and schedule an appointment. Just call 1-888-359-3552 any time of day or night.
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