Skin Cancer Skin Cancer Basics

Skin Cancer

We’ve all heard the expression “a healthy tan.” In fact, it was only one or two generations ago that people lived with the misunderstanding that sunbathing was indeed healthy. Sure, a golden tan is still considered attractive in today’s society, but it is now well known that too much long-term sun exposure and bad sunburns cause the vast majority of skin cancers.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in both men and women, and has reached epidemic proportions in the United States over the past several years. In fact, skin cancers represent fifty percent of all new cancers. Approximately one out of every five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of his or her lifetime. There were over one million new cases of skin cancer detected in 1998. Alarmingly, the rate of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, is doubling every eight to ten years. Rarely a day goes by in my own dermatology practice that I don’t diagnose a patient with skin cancer.

Aside from overexposure to sunlight, other risk factors for skin cancer include light skin, light eyes (blue or green), and light hair (blond or red). Greater than ninety percent of all skin cancers develop on areas of the body exposed to the sun, including the face, ears, neck, hands, and forearms. However, skin cancer can develop on any area of your skin.
 

Prevention And Early Detection

There are several measures you can take to protect yourself from the sun without having to avoid it outright.

Stay out of the hot sun: Try to stay out of the midday sun (between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM) when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

Cover up: Stay covered up as much as possible. This includes wearing long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and a hat or visor with a wide brim to protect your face and neck. You should also wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Use sunscreen: Make sure to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (UVA and UVB) every day, even during the winter months. I tell my patients to make sunscreen application a part of their daily morning routine, just like brushing their teeth. Use sunscreens with an SPF rating of at least 15. Remember to reapply your sunscreen every two hours while you are out in the sun, more frequently after swimming or sweating, even if it is waterproof. Don’t forget to protect your lips as well. There are several commercially available lip balms that contain sunscreen.

Use sunscreen on your child: You should begin using sunscreen on your children when they reach the age of six months. Prior to this, they should be kept out of direct sunlight, in the shade. This can be accomplished by placing an umbrella over their stroller. The earlier you start practicing sun precautions, the better off you and your kids will be.

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