Q's Health News

Yay!!! Summer is finally here!!! Alright, I know it’s felt like summer for the past month, but now that it’s officially here, I’m going to talk about skin cancer and SUNSCREEN! The primary use of sunscreen is to prevent skin cancer.

However, using sunscreen is NOT just a summer time thing. You can even get skin damage on a cloudy day; that’s because the Ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun are what cause skin damage, and clouds don’t block UV rays.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. Every year in the United States, nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer at a cost of more than $8 billion. There are 72,000 new cases and 9,000 deaths from melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

The three most common types of skin cancer are Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common. About eight out of 10 skin cancers are basal cell. Basal cell cancer usually develops on sun-exposed areas and tends to grow slowly. It is very rare for a Basal cell cancer to spread to other parts of the body; unless it is left untreated, then it can grow into nearby areas and invade bone or other tissues.

Squamous cell carcinoma occurs in about two out of 10 skin cancers. This also appears most commonly on sun-exposed areas of the body such as the face, ears, neck, lips and backs of hands. Squamous cell cancers are more likely to grow into deeper layers of skin and spread to other parts of the body than Basal cell cancers, although this is still uncommon.

Melanoma cancer develops from melanocytes, the pigment-making cells of the skin. Melanomas are much less common than Basal and Squamous cell cancers, but they are more likely to grow and spread if left untreated. Even though melanoma develops from the pigment-making cells of the skin, this doesn’t mean that they will be brown or dark; melanoma can appear pink, tan, or even white.

Melanoma can develop anywhere on the skin, but most commonly starts on the truck or legs. If not caught early, melanoma is more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer; this could be a new growth, a sore that doesn’t heal, or a change in a mole. A simple way to remember the signs of skin cancer is to remember the A, B, C, D, Es of melanoma. “A” stands for asymmetrical – Does the skin spot have an irregular shape? “B” stands for border – Is the border irregular or jagged? “C” is for color – Is the color uneven? “D” is for diameter – Is the skin spot or mole larger than the size of a pea? “E” is for evolving – Has the mole changed recently?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, then it’s time to get it checked out by a health care professional. In fact, if you have a skin type with many moles or freckles or have a history of skin cancer you should get a skin check once a year by a dermatologist to keep a close eye on that skin.

There are different things you can do to lower your risk of developing skin cancer. One is to wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Another is stay in the shade, especially during mid-day hours – I know many of you will scoff at that. So, if you can’t do that; then wear clothing that covers your arms, legs and head (including ears; a baseball hat leaves those ears VERY unprotected).

Then you’ll say, “It’s too hot to wear that much clothing.” Well, then wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher with both UVA and UVB protection! And reapply the sunscreen every two hours. But really you should wear sunscreen even if you are covered – at least put it on your face and hands. Whatever is exposed to the sun’s rays should be covered with sunscreen. Lastly, do NOT use indoor tanning beds!

These tips go for people of all ages! Stay covered, wear sunscreen, and get your skin checked. Did I mention WEAR SUNSCREEN??? My daughter will tell you that I will remind her at LEAST once every morning to put on sunscreen (or moisturizer with sunscreen). Have fun, enjoy the summer sun, but stay protected!

There’s lots of info out there on skin cancer and sunscreen. For more information, check out cancer.org, cancer.gov and cdc.gov. If you have questions or comments, you can find me at Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association or email me at [email protected].

Thanks for joining me!