May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

DON’T GET BURNED! 

SUMMER SUN SAFETY TIPS 

The temperature gage is heading for triple digits and a long stretch of intense sunshine in the desert will be with us for the next several months. Kids will soon be out of school and everyone will head outside; swimming, back-yard BBQs, vacations. The CDC and Skin Cancer Foundation caution:

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM TOO MUCH SUN! 

Use sunscreen, cover up and avoid overexposure to help you avoid sunburns, premature aging of the skin, wrinkling, and skin cancer, including melanoma by protecting your skin!

USE SUNCREEN! SPF 15 or Higher

Remember: Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you are out in the sun for more than two hours, after you swim or exercise. Check the sunscreen's expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than three years.

SHADE

Get in the shade! Especially during midday hours. 

HATS

For the most protection, wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck.  If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or bystaying in the shade. 

SKIN CANCER FACTS

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Some people are at higher risk of skin cancer than others, but anyone can get it. The most preventable cause of skin cancer is 

exposure to ultraviolet light either from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds. 

More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed every year.

Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers 

of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.

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

Skin cancer is also the easiest to cure, if diagnosed and treated early. 

A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. This could be a new growth,

 a  sore that doesn’t heal, or a change in a mole. Not all skin cancers look the same. 

CLOTHING

Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and long

pants offer the best protection from the sun's UV rays. A wet T-shirt offers less UV protection

than a dry one. Darker colors offer more protection than lighter colors.

SUNGLASSES

Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays

and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also

protect the tender skin around your eyes

from sun exposure.

Wear sunglasses that wrap around and

block as close to 100% of both UVA and

UVB rays as possible. Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard.

SKIN CANCER SCREENING

See your provider every year for a professional skin cancer screening.

MELANOMA

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. It accounts for about 3% of skin cancer cases, but causes more than 75% of skin cancer deaths. UV exposure and sunburns are risk factors. 

NON-MELANOMA SKIN      CANCERS Non-melanoma skin cancers are less deadly than melanomas. There are two primary types of non-melanoma skin cancers: basal cell and squamous cell .

BASAL CELL CARCINOMAS are the most common type of skin cancer. They usually appear as small, fleshy bumps or nodules on the head and neck, but can occur on other skin areas. Basal cell carcinoma grows slowly, and rarely spreads to other parts of the body.

SQUAMOUS CELL 

CARCINOMAS may appear as nodules or as red, scaly patches. can develop into large masses, and can spread to other parts of the body.