Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The most common types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Simple ways to prevent skin cancer really require common sense. According to the Center for Disease Control:
- Avoid tanning beds
- Stay in the shade
- Wear a wide rim hat
- Wear long sleeves and long pants (honestly, I just can’t do that when it’s 90 degrees out)
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays
- Apply and reapply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or more.
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/prevention.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-116/
My beloved husband Roger is the reason for a lot of my posts like the ones on disabilities, prostate cancer and for the summer, skin cancer. He had a mole on (well, I won’t say where it was, but I was the only one who could see it). That’s a big problem with cancerous moles. A lot of times they aren’t visible to the person who has it. What if you had a mole on your back or in your ear? Have you ever tried to look behind your own ear? It’s not possible.
Rog had a mole behind his ear that I didn’t even notice. His hairdresser noticed it. Fortunately, it wasn’t cancerous, but I never would have seen it there.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association reminds us how to perform a skin self – exam:
- Examine your body in a full length mirror
- Look at your underarms, forearms and palms
- Look at your legs, between your toes and the soles of your feet
- Use a hand mirror to examine your neck and scalp
- Use a hand mirror to check your back and buttocks
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/find/check-skin
Indicators of skin cancer may include:
- Irregular borders on moles (ragged, notched, or blurred edges)
- Moles that are not symmetrical (one half doesn’t match the other)
- Colors that are not uniform throughout
- Moles that are bigger than a pencil eraser
- Itchy or painful moles
- New moles
- Sores that bleed and do not heal
- Red patches or lumps
Know the ABCDEs of Early Detection
A – Asymmetry – one side is unlike the other
B- Border – blurry and/or jagged edges
C – Color – more than one shade or color
D – Diameter – greater than 6 mm
E – Evolution – watch for changes over time. If your mole changes in size, shape or color, it might be suspicious.
Click here for a visual on the ABCDEs of early detection from the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation.
And for those places you still can’t see, have your significant other do a little “personal” checking of you or have an annual body exam by a dermatologist. Rog hates going to those annual dermatologist exams – I have to take him out to lunch afterwards!
More Little Helpers
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20377605
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20377605
Stay Safe
Happy Summer
Thanks for Reading
Have a Grand Day!