Related Document: Article Skin Cancer Guaranteed PDF.pdf
Summer 2007
10 ways to ensure you get America's most common form of cancer
Ever been told you're one in a million? It may not be good news. According to the National Cancer Institute, about a million people in the United States learn they have skin cancer each year. In fact, half of all new cancers are skin cancer, making it the most common type of the disease.
The trend for skin cancer is gaining momentum. Over the past 30 years, the rate of melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) has tripled among Caucasians. And according to current estimates, 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once.
Still want to be one in a million? The following are ways to increase risks of being diagnosed with skin cancer.
1. Pretend you're a dark-eyed brunette. If you have fair skin; blond, red or light brown hair; and blue, green or gray eyes; you're 20 to 30 times more likely to develop skin cancer. People with less pigment (melanin) in their skin have less protection from the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. (UV radiation is the main cause of skin cancer.) Ignore your genetics – the ones that gave you the freckle-prone skin and light eyes-and you become a prime candidate for skin cancer. “It’s important to know that regardless of your skin type and ethnicity, everyone needs to use sunscreen,” says Dr. Michael Crowe, board certified dermatologist with Owensboro Dermatology. “More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, yet fewer than 33 percent of adults, adolescents, and children routinely use sun protection.”
2. Apply sunscreen once, then forget about it. Healthcare professionals advise applying sunscreen every day to protect the skin, and reapplying it often.
So how often should someone apply sunscreen? “Remember to reapply sunscreen more often when swimming or during strenuous exercise,” Crowe adds. “Waterproof sunscreens are tested to last for up to 80 minutes and should be reapplied at regular intervals if you’re in the water for prolonged periods of time. Sunscreens labeled “water resistant” should be reapplied every 40 minutes.”
3. Count on your makeup bag to protect you. Many moisturizers and lipsticks now contain SPF. However, convenience can lull you into a false sense of security: A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reported that facial foundation containing SPF was only effective for two hours, and even less for those with oily skin. For continued protection, the product must be reapplied or covered with another sunscreen.
4. Wrap yourself in a wet T-shirt. Physical barriers can offer good protection from the sun, unless the clothing is wet: The sun's rays pass through wet clothes more easily than dry. Lightweight, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, pants or long skirts made out of a tightly woven cloth provide the best sun protection. Showing more skin increases risk.
5. Pick your shades for style only. The ideal sunglasses don't have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation—the two types of ultraviolet radiation—to protect your eyes from sun damage. Check the label. If there's no label, don't buy the glasses, advises the Food and Drug Administration. (Darkness of the glass is not a factor.) Also apply sunscreen around the eyes and eyelids to protect sensitive skin.
6. Skip the siesta. The tradition of resting indoors during the hottest part of the day is not only civilized, but also doubles as a mechanism for skin cancer prevention. The UV radiation from the sun is at its strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Avoiding exposure during those peak hours reduces the opportunity for sun damage.
7. Fire up the tanning bed. The UVA rays emitted by tanning beds and sunlamps can be more dangerous than those from the sun. Food and Drug Administration researchers found using a sunlamp can increase the melanoma-inducing radiation a person is exposed to by up to 24 times. “According to the American Cancer Society, aside from the fact that skin cancer is the number one cancer in men over age 50, ahead of prostate, lung and colon cancer, in the past 30 years, skin cancer has tripled in women under age 40,” says Dr. Artis Truett, M.D., a board certified dermatologist with Owensboro Dermatology. “Then, consider that on an average day in the U.S., more than one million people tan in tanning salons; 70 percent are Caucasian women aged 16-49.”
8. Let the temperature gauge your risk. You don't have to be sweating on a beach to need sun protection. "Cool" activities such as skiing and sailing carry a higher risk for skin damage from the sun because UV rays intensify when they reflect off snow and water. Similarly, a cloudy day does not eliminate UV radiation. Clouds only screen out 20 percent of the UV radiation.
9. Act like a kid. Remember spending all day at the beach or pool during the summer? No wonder more than 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18. Although skin cancer can take 10 to 15 years to appear, protecting your skin offers more immediate results. Studies show that one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager can increase the risk for melanoma. Part of being an adult means using sunscreen and practicing moderation when it comes to the sun. “However, another responsibility as an adult is protecting your children from sun exposure,” Truett says. “This includes a combination of applying sunscreen on them as recommended, keeping them out of the sun in the middle of the day; covering them up with a hat and t-shirt; and putting sunglasses on them.”
10. Join the leisure class. The national rise in skin cancer rates may be linked to affluence. Those who have more time off for vacations can spend more time in the sun. Although outdoor activities can improve health, there is nothing healthy about tanning.
Know Your ABCDs
The cure rate for skin cancer could be 100 percent if it is detected and brought to a doctor's attention before it has the chance to spread, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Regularly performing a simple skin self-exam can improve your chances of finding skin cancer promptly. Check your skin in a well-lighted room using a full-length mirror and a handheld mirror.
Learn where your birthmarks, moles and blemishes are and what they usually look like. Check for anything new. Use the "ABCDs" to evaluate any blemish or mole:
A-Asymmetry: Common moles are round and symmetrical.
B-Border: Skin cancers may have uneven borders.
C-Color: Watch for varied shades of brown, tan or black and also red, white and blue.
D-Diameter: If a spot is larger than a pencil eraser (¼" or 6 mm), it could be trouble.
Skin cancer takes many forms. Anything that changes, grows or fits any of the ABCDs should be taken seriously and examined by a doctor.
Vim & Vigor Magazine
