Protect Your Skin: Don't Fry Friday is May 25, 2012 | American ...
As area residents kick off the summer outdoor activity season this Memorial Day weekend, the American Cancer Society is asking everyone to keep something in mind: protect your skin!
Skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer with more than 3.5 million skin cancers diagnosed each year in the United States. That?s more than all other cancers combined. And the number of skin cancer cases has been going up over the past few decades.
In an effort to raise awareness of skin cancer prevention, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day (May 25, 2012) as the fourth annual ?Don?t Fry Day.?? This pre-Memorial Day initiative is designed to help people stay well by raising awareness about the steps people can take to prevent skin cancer.
The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is comprised of more than 45 organizations?including the American Cancer Society?dedicated to skin cancer prevention in the United States. The American Cancer Society participates as a core member of the National Council and supports ?Don?t Fry Day? to help save lives. Visit the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, www.skincancerprevention.org, for more information and tips to protect your family from skin cancer.
Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Much of this exposure comes from the sun, but some may come from man-made sources, such as indoor tanning lamps.
The good news is that you can do a lot to protect yourself and your family from skin cancer, or to catch it early enough so that it can be treated effectively. Finding possible skin cancers doesn?t require any x-rays or blood tests ? just your eyes and a mirror. If skin cancer does develop, finding it early is the best way to ensure it can be treated effectively.
Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S.
- There are more than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually, which is more than new cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined.
- Melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) incidence rates have been increasing for at least 30 years. Since 2004, incidence rates among whites have been increasing by almost 3% per year in both men and women.
- The American Cancer Society estimates that 76,250 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in 2012 in the U.S., and 9180 people will die from the disease.
- Most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- Sunburns during childhood increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers later in life.
While generous sunscreen usage (broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher) is an important way to protect yourself and your family, there are additional sun safety measures that can help prevent skin cancer:
- Seek the shade when you can.? Use umbrellas or other shade structures when outdoors.
- Remember that the sun?s UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and that may not be the hottest part of the day.
- Wear sun-protective clothing, such as a long-sleeve shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Do not intentionally tan or burn.? Do not use tanning beds.
Are some people more prone to sun damage?
Everyone?s skin and eyes can be affected by the sun and other forms of UV rays. People with light skin are much more likely to have sun damage, but darker-skinned people, including African Americans and Hispanic Americans, also can be affected.
The skin tans when UV radiation is absorbed, causing an increase in the activity and number of melanocytes, the cells that make the pigment melanin. Melanin helps to block out damaging rays up to a point, which is why people with naturally darker skin are less likely to get sunburned, while people with lighter skin are more likely to burn. Sunburns are thought to increase your risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. But UV exposure can raise skin cancer risk even without causing sunburn.
Aside from skin tone, other factors can also affect your risk of damage from UV light. You need to be especially careful in the sun if you:
- Were previously treated for skin cancer
- Have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
- Have lots of moles, irregular moles, or large moles
- Have freckles and burn before tanning
- Have fair skin, blue or green eyes, or blond, red, or light brown hair
- Live or vacation at high altitudes (UV radiation increases as the level goes up)
- Live or vacation in tropical or subtropical climates
- Work indoors all week and then get intense sun exposure on weekends
- Spend a lot of time outdoors
- Have certain autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, or ?lupus?)
- Have had an organ transplant
- Take medicines that lower your immunity
- Take oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
- Take tetracycline, sulfa drugs, or certain other antibiotics
- Take naproxen or certain other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Take phenothiazines (major tranquilizers and anti-nausea drugs)
- Take tricyclic antidepressants
- Take thiazide diuretics (medicines used for high blood pressure and some heart conditions)
- Take sulfonylureas (a form of oral medicine for diabetes)
Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about the risk of any medicines you may be taking that could increase your sensitivity to sunlight.
Skin exams
Most skin cancers can be found early with skin exams. Both regular exams by your doctor and checking your own skin frequently can help find cancers early, when they are easier to treat.
Get your skin checked by your doctor as part of a routine cancer-related checkup, your doctor should check your skin carefully. They should be willing to discuss any concerns you might have about this exam.
How to check your own skin
It?s important to check your own skin, preferably once a month. A self-exam is best done in a well-lit room in front of a full-length mirror. You can use a hand-held mirror to look at areas that are hard to see. A spouse or close friend or family member may be able to help you with these exams, especially for those hard-to-see areas like your back or scalp.
The first time you inspect your skin, spend time carefully going over the entire surface of your skin. Learn the pattern of moles, blemishes, freckles, and other marks on your skin so that you?ll notice any changes next time. Any trouble spots should be seen by a doctor. Follow these step-by-step instructions to examine your skin:
- Check your face, ears, neck, chest, and belly. Women will need to lift their breasts to check the skin underneath.
- Check the underarm areas, both sides of your arms, the tops and bottoms of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
- Check the front of your thighs, shins, tops of your feet, in between your toes, and under your toenails.
- Now use a hand mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet, your calves, and the backs of your thighs, first checking one leg and then the other.
- Use the hand mirror to check the buttocks, genital area, lower and upper back, and the back of the neck. Or it may be easier to look at your back in the wall mirror using a hand mirror.
- Use a comb or hair dryer to part your hair so that you can check your scalp.
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American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation?s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
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