12 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SKIN CANCER

Monday was #MelanomaMonday and May is #SkinCancer Awareness Month. What’s the difference? Melanoma is the least common type of skin cancers, but it’s the deadliest and most preventable type.

Below is a list of facts about melanoma and skin cancer in general. It’s important to be aware, so you can educate or tell others about this disease. Summer is just around the corner and we easily forget the dangers of being exposed to UV rays for long periods of time. Be sure to schedule a check-up for you and your family this month. Call our SAIN office in San Luis Río Colorado for an updated list of dermatologists in our network.

1. Almost 50% of all cancer cases are a type of skin cancer.
2. Being exposed to UV rays for long periods of time and even occasional sunburns are the leading cause of non-melanoma skin cancer.
3. People encounter these potentially harmful rays outdoors in the sun, lying in tanning beds and even sitting next to a window or driving in the car on a sunny day.
4. In the U.S., someone dies from melanoma every 57 minutes.
5. Reports of skin cancer diagnoses are not always reported as such.
6. Skin cancer treatment can cost each patient anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
7. Skin cancer affects everyone, race is not a factor.
8. Using a tanning bed before age 30 can increase the risk of skin cancer by 75%.
9. Skin cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers. When detected early, skin cancer has more than a 95% cure rate.
10. Your back is the most common location for melanoma.

SO HOW CAN YOU PREVENT IT?

• Avoid tanning beds.
• Scheduling annual checkups with a dermatologist to monitor moles with unusual shapes.
• Monthly self-examination.
• Take pictures of areas you feel might need to be monitored for future comparison.
• Always have your sunscreen on-hand and apply every two hours, preferably 50+ SPF.
• Switch lip gloss for lip balm with SPF protection.
• Buy a new sunscreen bottle every year.
• Style your hair differently every week. Your scalp is constantly exposed by how you part your hair.
• Wear a hat, wear sunscreen, wear sunglasses, wear a shirt and seek the shade!

Source: Livestrong.com; Health.com, Cancer.org