 The
vast majority of skin cancers could be prevented by routinely shielding
your skin from the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Yet most
Americans aren't doing enough to protect themselves. They only use
sunscreen at the pool, or forget to reapply, or forget about wearing
hats, long-sleeved shirts, and staying in the shade.
This May, Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, bring your
sun-protection habits up to date.
The Spring Skin Check
Dermatologists recommend doing a skin check monthly, so you'll be
more likely to notice any changes or even find a skin cancer when it's
still small. If you haven't picked up this habit, now is the time to
start. Be sure to examine your palms, fingernails, and feet, too.
Although most skin cancers develop in areas that get lots of sun
exposure, tumors may also affect these body parts.
Skin
Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
Check yourself in a well-lighted room using both a full-length mirror
and a hand-held mirror. Become familiar with your birthmarks, moles, and
blemishes so you know what they usually look like. That way you'll be
able to identify any changes more easily. Look for any changes in size,
texture, shape, and color of blemishes, or a sore that does not heal.
Get your spouse or partner to help you check those hard-to-see places.
If you find anything that looks different, see your doctor or health
care provider. Also, ask your doctor to check your skin during regular
checkups.
ABCD Rule to Check Moles and Birthmarks
The ABCD rule is a convenient guide to the usual signs of melanoma.
Here's what you should be on the lookout for:
A is for ASYMMETRY: One half of a mole or
birthmark does not match the other.
B is for BORDER: The edges are irregular, ragged,
notched, or blurred.
C is for COLOR: The color is not the same all
over, and may have shades of brown or black, sometimes with
patches of red, pink, white, or blue.
D is for DIAMETER: The area is larger than 6 millimeters
(about ¼ inch -- the size of a pencil eraser) across, or the
area has been growing.
Another very important warning sign of melanoma is that a mole has
been growing or changing its shape or color. Some melanomas do not fit
the ABCD rule described above, so it is very important to report to your
doctor any changes in skin lesions, new skin lesions, any pigmented
areas that look different from the rest of your moles, and any sores
that don't heal.
Ways to Protect Your Skin
Wearing a hat and tightly-woven clothing and avoiding the intense sun
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. are excellent ways to protect yourself from
damaging UV rays and skin cancer. Using sunscreen is also important.
For maximum effectiveness, apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before
going outside. Be generous in the amount you use and use a product with
a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. A palm-full of sunscreen
(about 1 ounce) should be enough to cover the arms, legs, neck, and face
of an average adult. Less is needed for a child. For best results, most
sunscreens need to be reapplied every 2 hours and immediately after
swimming or sweating heavily. Remember that sunscreen usually rubs off
when you towel yourself dry.
Some people think about sun protection only when they are planning to
spend a full day at the beach or pool. But sun exposure happens whenever
you're in the sun -- gardening, fishing, walking through the zoo,
attending a baseball game, or going to and from your car. Be sure you've
got yourself covered every time you go out.
More information:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/SPC/content/SPC_1_Skin_Cancer_Protection_and_Detection_Feature.asp_
Article updated: 4/22/08, American Red Cross |
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