May is National Melanoma Awareness Month

By Karen Drake Rettich

In 1995 I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma. It was scary and I vowed never to be touched by sunlight again. Of course this isn’t realistic so I had to learn how to arm myself against further sun damage and avoid another diagnosis of skin cancer. I hope this article helps you to make smart choices when it comes to sun exposure and protecting yourself and your loved ones. Skin cancer has been on the rise. 

Basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common, affects a nearly 2.8 million people annually in the United States. Squamos cell carcinoma affects an estimated 700,000 people annually, resulting in approximately 2500 deaths. Melanoma is the most dangerous skin cancer.  

It most often resembles a mole and can begin from a mole but it develops into a malignant tumor. Skin cancer is seen ten times more in whites than in darker skin people. This is because the darker skin the more pigmentation. 

Pigmentation naturally protects from harmful UV rays. Fair skin people have a much higher risk of developing skin cancer. Some risk factors to be aware of are fair complexion, family history, multiple or atypical moles, severe sunburns as a child, unprotected or excessive skin exposure to UV radiation and personal history of melanoma. If you use a retinoid for your skin, either for acne or wrinkles this increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun so it is best to apply sun block daily.   

In order to protect yourself from UV rays and over exposure which could lead to skin cancer it is best to avoid excessive exposure to the sun between 10 am and 4 pm when the sun is at its strongest. Of course this isn’t always possible so hats and sun block are a must. 

Sun block comes in different levels of protection.  It is recommended that you use a block with 30 SPF or higher. The SPF number represents how much time it will take your skin to burn. 

For example if your skin would burn within five minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen, then using an SPF of 30 would increase that time to 150 minutes. Frequent reapplication of sun block is necessary after swimming or for prolonged periods in the sun.    

Hats and protective clothing are also helpful.  Cover ups and other active wear now come with UPF protection. Read the labels and look for UPF protection of 50. Hats with a wide brim are a good choice to protect face and neck.  And it is also important to protect your eyes. Find a pair of sunglasses that have 99% UV absorption. The lighter your eye color the more sensitive your eyes will be to bright light so good sunglasses are essential.    T

he warning signs of skin cancer are the ABCDs. A stands for asymmetrical; any mole that has irregular shape should be checked. B is for border irregularity. Color; if a mole has color variation and D is for diameter. If a mole is larger than a pencil eraser you should have it checked. A yearly skin check with a dermatologist is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. As with anything regarding your health a good relationship with a practitioner is important. Find a doctor who helps you understand your risks and the best way to protect yourself. 

Our family loves to be outside and we love to boat and spend time at the beach. We never leave home without hats, sun block, umbrella, and sunglasses. I re-apply sun block frequently and get us in shade whenever possible.     

Be aware of your risk factors, apply sun block to exposed skin year round and get a great hat. Skin cancer can be prevented and once you know the facts you can make the best decisions to protect yourself and your family.

The following websites can offer further information and assistance and were used in this article: www.SkinCancer.org www.americancancersociety.org www.medicinenet.com      

(Karen Drake Rettich writes a personal blog and also writes for the Berlin Visiting Nurses Association and is a blogger for the Middletown and Berlin Patches.)