What is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and is preventable. There are three common types of skin cancer: Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which are highly curable, and melanoma. Melanoma is the most dangerous of the three and causes the most deaths.
Skin cancer is caused by ultraviolet (UV) light, invisible light that is emitted from the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. UV rays penetrate and change skin cells, causing sunburn and changing skin texture.
How to Treat Sunburn
Did you know that your risk of melanoma doubles if you have had more than five sunburns? Sunburn happens, but it is important to stop it from happening again. At the first sign of a sunburn, get out of the sun and try these tips to help treat your sunburn.
- Cool it down
– Take a dip in the ocean, lake, or pool
– Use cool compresses
– Take a cool shower/bath—avoid harsh soaps - Moisturize while skin is damp
– Apply gentle lotion while your skin is damp
– Avoid petroleum and oil based lotions – this can trap heat
– Repeat for a few days - Decrease inflammation
– At the first sign of sunburn, take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin
– Use 1% cortisone cream - Hydrate
– Sunburns draw the body’s water to the skin’s surface, dehydrating your body
– Rehydrate by drinking extra fluids - Seek a doctor
– If you or your child have severe blisters over a large area of the body
– If you are experiencing fever, chills, dizziness, and/or confusion
– Do not pop blisters
How to Prevent Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is preventable, but yet 1 in 5 Americans develop this type of cancer. It is important to protect your skin everyday, during every season of the year. Follow these tips to protect your skin and to reduce your risk.
- Seek Shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Do not burn
- Avoid sun tanning and tanning booths
- Cover up with clothing, UV blocking sunglasses, and a wide brimmed hat
- Use broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen, SPF 15 or higher everyday
- For extended outdoor activity, apply water resistant broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher
- Apply 1 ounce of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside
- Keep newborns out sun – only use sunscreen on babies over 6 months
- Self examine your body head-to-toe once a month
- See a physician every year for a skin exam
Know your ABCDEs
Moles, brown spots, and growths are usually normal and harmless, but not always. Those with more than 100 moles are at a greater risk for melanoma. Be sure to look for these warning signs:
- A: Asymmetry
– If you draw a line through a mole and both sides match, it is symmetrical. If the sides do not match, it is asymmetrical
– A benign mole is symmetrical
– An asymmetrical mole is a warning sign of melanoma - B: Border
– A benign mole has smooth, even borders
– A mole with uneven borders is an early sign of melanoma - C: Color
– Benign moles are all one color
– A warning sign is if a mole has a variety of colors, such as shades of brown, tan, or black
– A malignant mole may also become red, white, or blue - D: Diameter
– Benign moles are small
– Melanoma moles are larger than a pencil eraser - E: Evolving
– If a mole is benign, it will stay the same over time
– Pay attention to moles. If a mole starts to evolve, such as size, shape, color, elevation, bleeding, itching or crusting, see a doctor
SOURCE: Skin Cancer Foundation – www.skincancer.org
