More than a million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year. Everyone’s skin and eyes can be affected by the sun and other forms of UV rays such as tanning beds or sunlamps. Darker-skinned people may not burn, but tanning is still a form of skin damage. People with light skin are more likely to burn. Sunburns are thought to increase the risk of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Here are some signs and tips to prevent serious damage from the sun.
Risk factors for skin cancer are:
- Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to UV radiation (sunlight, tanning beds)
- Fair complexion
- Family history of skin cancer
- Multiple or atypical moles
- Severe sunburns as a child
Other factors that increase your risk of sun damage include:
- You have lots of freckles and burn easily
- Live or vacation at high altitudes (UV radiation increases at higher altitudes)
- Work outdoors
- Have an auto-immune disease such as lupus
- Take medications such as birth control pills, certain antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-diabetic meds.
Check out information that comes with your prescription to see if you should avoid exposure to the sun while on your particular medication or ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
Signs and symptoms of skin cancer include:
- Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of moles or other darkly pigmented spots, or a new growth
- Small, raised areas, can range in color from pink to brown or bluish/black, shiny or discolored areas
- Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
- Dark coloring that spreads past the border of a mole or mark
- A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness or pain
- Skin cancers are common on ears, face, neck but can be located anywhere on the body and can affect any age group
- Melanomas: one half of a mole might not look like the other half, borders are irregular or ragged, color changes include pink, red, white, blue, brown, or black, usually larger than 6 milliliters across (the size of a pencil eraser).
How can I prevent skin cancer?
- Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm
- Seek out the shade when possible
- Wear sunglasses with 99-100% UV protection
- Protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days
- Slip on a Shirt! Cover up with protective clothing made of tightly woven fabrics.
- Slop on the Sunscreen! Use sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection of15 or higher. Apply at least a palmful and reapply after swimming, toweling off, or perspiring. Make sure you don’t forget ears, backs of necks. For best results, sunscreen needs to be applied to dry skin 20 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun so the skin has time to absorb the chemicals. Reapply every hour or two. (Caution: Check the expiration date of your sunscreen! If it’s expired, it has lost its effectiveness and needs to be replaced)
- Slap on a Hat! Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, ears, and neck. Visors do not protect exposed areas of the head. Baseball caps do not protect ears and neck. Remember to cover exposed areas with sunscreen.
Children require special attention. They often spend more time outdoors and tend to burn more easily. Protect your children by teaching them sun safety practices and using the prevention measures listed above. Babies younger than 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight and protected with clothing and hats. There are some lines of swimwear and clothing made with built in UV protection that helps block out sun exposure through clothing. You should check your own skin once a month for changes. Use a mirror or have someone else look where you cannot see. Don’t forget to check your scalp. See your doctor yearly for a thorough skin exam and immediately if you have any of the symptoms of skin cancer. Skin cancer has over 90% survival rate when caught early and treated.
For additional information, check out the American Cancer Society website at www.cancer.org
Submitted by Sheryll Plyler RN, MSN, OCN
