The a,b,c,d's of Skin Cancer

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  Last year I put together a mini tutorial   for a presentation.  It was nothing fancy, but if I can help someone spot a funny looking mole on their partners back, then I have hopefully helped save a life.  Sounds dramatic, but you can't see whats on the back of your neck, or ears.  

I am checked out yearly by my dermatologist in Mill Creek.  Dr Melendez has removed a few moles from my rib cage.  One was cancerous, and luckily in the early stages.  I spent a good amount of time in the tanning beds before prom or tolo back in the late 80's, and early 90's.  Always burned.  Always.  The damage has been done.  So for the rest of my life I will be scanned yearly.  

The following paragraphs are from my mini presentation.... (two minute read)

Here are a few skin facts for life: 

  >Sun Rays are strongest from 10am to 4pm

>Up to 90% of the visible signs of aging are caused by sun damage

>One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime

>The risk of skin cancer doubles if you’ve had 5+ sunburns

>Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the US

>80% of UVA & UVB rays are able to pass through clouds and penetrate skin

The A,B,C,D,E's 

A  Asymmetry.  The lesion is usually growing to one side of the lesion and is  uneven

B Border.  The borders of a melanoma are uneven and not smooth

C Color.  Often dark brown/black and are usually splotchy and  not  one color.

D Diameter.  Lesions are usually the size of a pencil eraser or larger. 

E Evolving.  Evolving moles may change with variation of color, shape, and growth. 

SUN PROTECTION FACTS:

Use Broad Spectrum sun protection. B S means the sunscreen has met the FDA requirements for protecting against UVA and UVB rays.

SPF is a measure of protection. When a sunscreen product label indicates UVB & UVA protection and the value given (SPF 30) provides a measurement of how long an individual can stay in the sun without developing erythema (redness). 

Example: If your skin starts burning around ten minutes of sun exposure, and your SPF value is 30, than your burning will be delayed by a factor of 30. Thus, 30 x 10 minutes is 300 minutes or 5 hours. My skin starts at two minutes, thus my SPF 30 will only protect me for 60 minutes. 

When in doubt, have it checked out