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Protecting your skin from dangerous solar radiation should be a concern throughout the year.
Slathering on the sunscreen and taking other sun-protection precautions are increasingly important. The incidence of skin cancer in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. More than 1 million new non-melanoma skin-cancer cases will be diagnosed this year and melanoma skin cancer will account for about 7,910 deaths this year, according to American Cancer Society. Of the three main forms of skin cancer that include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, melanoma is the most deadly and accounts for about 79 percent of all skin-cancer deaths. When detected and treated at an early stage, all forms of skin cancer are highly curable.
Avoiding excessive exposure to UV light is probably the single most important way of lowering your skin cancer risk. When UV radiation strikes the skin, direct tissue and cellular damage occur at the DNA level. UV radiation also results in local and systemic suppression of the immune system. Skin damage from UV radiation is cumulative over a person's lifetime.
While anyone is susceptible to skin cancer, there are several common risk factors that can make you more vulnerable. These include:
- A history of repeated, blistering sunburns during childhood and adolescence.
- Freckles, which suggest a higher-than-average sensitivity to UV light.
- Fair to light skin color.
- Numerous or unusually shaped moles.
- A personal or family history of skin cancer.
- A vocation or avocation that keeps you outdoors most of the time.
- Chronic skin inflammation or sores.
- Radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Thick scaly patches of skin called actinic keratosis.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends everyone 6 months old and older use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily. Sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 should be liberally applied to all exposed skin at least 20 minutes before going outside. Reapply the sunscreen every two hours during midday and after swimming or perspiring.
In addition to conscientious use of sunscreens, other ways to protect your skin include:
- Avoiding sunlight between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts with a tight weave.
- Wearing wrap-around sunglasses with complete UV absorption.
- Wearing a wide-brimmed hat outdoors.
- Promptly reporting suspicious skin changes to your doctor. Such changes include spots that grow, bleed or crust over.
The AAD recommends spending 15 minutes each month performing a skin self-exam. A basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, may be translucent and grow gradually, or it can look like a sore that won't heal, according to the AAD. These lesions can be removed by freezing or surgery.
A squamous cell carcinoma appears as a crusty, scaly patch with a hard surface. It, too, can be removed by freezing or surgery, but further treatment may be needed if the cancer has spread.
Representing 4 percent of all skin cancers, melanoma often resembles a pigmented mole that may be asymmetrical or have an uneven border. Its color and size may change over time. The tumor and surrounding tissue must be surgically excised. Melanoma patients also may require radiation, chemotherapy or other aggressive treatments.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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