The Dangers of Skin Cancer Skin cancer video

The Dangers of Skin Cancer Skin cancer video

Melanoma Facts • Melanoma rates are increasing faster than nearly all other cancers. • Melanoma is a relatively easy disease to prevent. • Most melanomas are easy to stop if caught soon enough-all it takes is a yearly skin exam. • Melanoma kills one person every hour. • The New England states have a higher than average rate of melanoma.

Parts of the skin Epidermis-outer layer of the skin. Dermis-inner layer of the skin Fat layer-deepest layer of the skin. Melanin-what gives skin color. Dermatologist-skin doctor Melanoma-skin cancer

Layers of the skin

The ABCDE’s of skin cancer • • • A- Asymmetry: Normal moles or freckles are completely symmetrical. If you were to draw a line through a normal spot, you would have two symmetrical halves. In cases of skin cancer, spots will not look the same on both sides. B- Border: A mole or spot with blurry and/or jagged edges. C- Color: A mole that is more than one hue is suspicious and needs to be evaluated by a doctor. Normal spots are usually one color. This can include lightening or darkening of the mole. D- Diameter: If it is larger than a pencil eraser (about 1/4 inch or 6 mm), it needs to be examined by a doctor. This is includes areas that do not have any other abnormalities (color, border, asymmetry). E- Elevation: Elevation means the mole is raised above the surface and has an uneven surface.

• The UV Index, developed by the National Weather Service and EPA, indicates the strength of solar UV radiation on a scale from 1 (low) to 11+ (extremely high). You can use the UV Index to take appropriate sunprotective behaviors and avoid overexposure to UV radiation. • click here for uv index

Importance of Sunscreen • SPF=Sun Protection Factor • UVA=causes premature aging, skin cancer, and other skin damage. • UVB=causes sunburn rays • All sunscreens comes with a number. The lighter the skin the higher the number which should be used to protect from UVA’s and UVB’s.

Sunscreen importance • SPF values above 50 plus. Higher SPF products are not necessarily best. There’s a concern that high SPF products give people a false sense of security and encourage people to stay out in the sun for too long without reapplying sunscreen. • Using sunscreen is only one part of smart skin protection. Limit your time outside between 10: 00 and 4: 00 pm. Wear a hat and protective clothing.

Dangers of tanning • Melanoma Foundation of New England | Raising Awareness About Melanoma Throughout New England

Dangers of tanning • Using tanning beds before the age of 35, increases one’s risk for melanoma by 75%. • There is no such thing as a safe tan! • For teens and adults 15 -29 skin cancer is the second most common cancer. • Tanning increases the radiation of the sun by three to six times. • Using a tanning bed for 20 minutes is equivalent to spending one to three hours a day at the beach with no sun protection at all!