SKIN CANCER

With summer coming up, more and more of us will be spending time outside in the yard, in the park and at the beach. Here are some tips on protecting your skin from the tropical summer sun.

Skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers. It is estimated that almost 700,000 Americans develop skin cancer every year. Although at least 9,000 people still die annually from this dreaded disease, the death rate has been declining in recent years.

Early detection is the surest way to a cure. The good news about skin cancer is that it is almost always curable if caught in the early stages. Early detection is your best defense. Everyone should perform routine self-inspections, examining oneself from head to toe in front of a mirror. Although skin cancer is rare in children, it is not unheard of and even small children should be inspected regularly by their care-givers.

Any growth, mole, sore or discoloration which appears suddenly or begins to change, should be brought to the attention of your primary care physician or dermatologist immediately. A biopsy may be taken and sent to a lab, like Aloha Laboratories, Inc. to be tested

Sun avoidance is the best defense against skin cancer. The accepted cause of skin cancer is overexposure to sunlight (other less frequent causes are repeated x-ray exposure, scarring from disease and burns and some chemical exposure). Limit your exposure by wearing protective clothing and wearing sunscreen with at least a 15 SPF rating.

Fortunately skin cancer is easy to treat if caught early. Skin cancer is relatively easy to detect and most can be cured. Even malignant melanoma, if caught in its early stages, can be treated successfully.

Research shows a direct link between sunburns in childhood and an increased risk of melanoma and skin cancer later in life.

In fact people may receive up to 80% of their life’s total exposure to UV light by the time they reach the age of 18!

Children are especially susceptible to over-exposure. As a parent there are things you should be doing to keep young skin well protected: