Temperatures are heating up, and that means many people are spending more time outside. Although Santa Cruz County has beautiful terrain for hikes, bike rides and lazy days at the beach, it’s important to take skin safety seriously.
“Skin cancer, including melanoma, is curable if detected early,” said Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Chief Victor Salazar, MD. “A careful skin exam can identify suspicious growths that might be cancer, as well as growths that could potentially develop into skin cancer.”
To further help prevent skin cancer, it’s important for people to develop good sun habits, which include wearing sunscreen and sun protective fabric when outdoors. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Tips to reduce skin cancer risks:
- Wear sunscreen to protect yourself from harmful UV rays and remember to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
- Cover up by wearing a broad-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and pants when planning to be in the sun for an extended period of time.
- Finding shade under trees, umbrellas, and awnings provides excellent sun protection on warm sunny days.
- Protecting your skin against UV rays on cloudy days is important, too. UV rays can peek through the clouds.
- Avoid tanning beds. UV light in tanning beds puts you at a higher risk for melanoma.
- Check your skin regularly for abnormal moles or other skin abnormalities. If you notice changes, see your doctor to have it checked.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer in which abnormal skin cells grow out of control. It isn’t as common as other types of skin cancer, but it is the most serious because it can spread quickly to other parts of the body.
“Most melanomas show up as a new spot or skin growth,” Salazar said. “But they can also form in an existing mole or other mark on the skin.”
A melanoma usually looks like a flat mole with uneven edges and a shape that isn’t the same on both sides. It might be black, brown or more than one color.
Although rare, melanoma can also be found in other places, such as the eye or the intestines. In people with darker skin, some of the most common sites are the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, or underneath the nails, Salazar said.
Too much UV radiation from sun exposure can damage DNA. This can cause normal skin cells to become abnormal. These abnormal cells can quickly grow out of control. Having lighter skin, a family history of melanoma, or many abnormal moles puts you at higher risk for this disease.
“You might not have any symptoms in the early stages of melanoma,” Salazar said. “Or a melanoma might be sore, and it can itch or bleed.”
Most melanomas start as a new skin growth. Any change in the shape, size, or color of a mole can be a sign of melanoma.
The ABCDEs of melanoma skin cancer are:
Asymmetry. One half doesn’t match the appearance of the other half.
Border irregularity. The edges are ragged, notched, or blurred.
Color. The color (pigmentation) is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to a mottled appearance.
Diameter. The size of the mole is greater than 1/4 inch (6 mm), about the size of a pencil eraser. Any growth of a mole should be evaluated.
Evolution. There is a change in the size, shape, symptoms (such as itching or tenderness), surface (especially bleeding), or color of a mole.
“If your doctor suspects melanoma, a sample of tissue (biopsy) will be removed and tested,” Salazar said. “If your biopsy shows melanoma, you might have more tests to find out if it has spread to your lymph nodes or other places.”
“The best way to lower your risk for melanoma is to protect your skin whenever you are out in the sun,” Salazar said. “By following sun safety recommendations, you will be better equipped to keep yourself and your family safe from sun damage.”
