Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. More than 500,000 new cases are reported each year-and the frequency is growing faster than any other type of cancer. An estimated 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once. If there is a history of skin cancer in your family, you are probably at a higher risk. However, skin cancer is the most preventable of cancers.
Skin cancer is a sickness in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the exterior layers of your skin. It develops from the melanocytes in the skin and is usually seen as a pigmented scratch with an irregular shape in the skin. Skin cancer is divided into two categories: non-melanoma and melanoma. The most common types are basal cell carcinoma (70 percent of all skin cancers) and squamous cell carcinoma (20 percent) which is classified as non-melanoma skin cancer. Though basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are rarely fatal, they can cause a lot of damage to the skin and often can lead to disfigurement and the need for surgery. Melanoma is less ordinary than basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, but potentially much more serious. High levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (uvr) increase the risk of all three major forms of skin cancer, and approximately 65% to 90% of melanomas are caused by uvr exposure. Skin cancer is an almost totally preventable disease and 95 percent of skin cancers are treatable if they are detected early. Early detection greatly improves the prognosis of patients with malignant melanoma.
So what can you do to lower your risk for developing skin cancer? Always wear sunscreen, avoid the sun during peak hours, and do self-exams. . You should also apply at least an ounce of sunscreen for your body twenty minutes before going out into the sun. If you have light colored hair and fair skin, you should be weary of exposing yourself to over indulge in the sun’s rays. Do not use sun beds before the age of 35 in order to avoid the risk of developing skin cancer. It’s important to pay attention to changes in your skin and see a doctor if you notice a change in the size or color of a mole or freckle; a new mole or lesion; or an area of scaliness, itching, bleeding, tenderness, or pain. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun’s damaging effects begin at an early age.
Adopting sun safety behaviors during childhood and adolescence is currently the best method for preventing skin cancer. Therefore, doctors advise taking the following steps beginning in childhood to prevent skin cancer. Remember, act now before its too late.
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