May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
As the weather heats up and more skin starts being exposed, it is time to start thinking about sunscreens and skin protection. Knowing your moles and spotting cancer early are two ways to prevent melanoma or any other skin cancer from starting.
Sunscreen is an important step in the prevention of any skin cancer. Purchasing high-quality sunscreen products to prevent the changes that can occur if moles start to turn into cancer is your best defense.
Who is at Risk For Skin Cancer?
In case you do have skin cancer, surgical removal of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma remain the preferred form of treatment, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Those patients diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancers should be evaluated by a physician at least once a year. Knowing your risks is most important in skin cancer prevention.
- Personal or family history
- Frequent or intense exposure to sunlight
- Use of sun lamps or tanning beds
- Fair skin that burns easily
- History of severe, blistering sunburns
- Use of certain antibiotics, hormones, or anti-depressants
Warning Signs of Skin Cancer
Monitoring and evaluating certain moles can go a long way to avoid more serious skin cancers. Patients should do a monthly self-exam to detect any precancerous or early state cancerous legions. Using these guidelines when looking at moles can be a first step in skin cancer prevention.
- Asymmetry-Moles do not match
- Border-Edges of moles are ragged, blurred, or irregular
- Color-Shading is different throughout mole tan, brown, black, blue, red
- Diameter-Is it larger than an eraser pencil
- Evolution-Mole is changing in size and shape
Although melanoma accounts for only 1 percent of skin cancers, they do result in a large majority of skin cancer deaths. The risk of melanoma increases as people age. The median age for diagnosis is 63. However, people as young as 30 have also been diagnosed. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young adults, more so in women.
Protect Yourself from Skin Cancer in Houston
Don’t let the fear of a mole stop you from enjoying a day of fun in the sun! Protect yourself with Dr. Michael Streitmann’s Private Label Facial Sunscreen formulated by Young Pharmaceuticals.
This SPF 30 sunscreen contains Titanium and Zinc oxides and is fortified with the antioxidant Melanin, and Vitamins C and E. All active ingredients are supported by data to ensure you have the best possible protection against harmful UV rays. Contact Dr. Michael Streitmann today to purchase a bottle online or near Houston or Conroe, Texas!
Updated 5/17/2019