Advice on Skin Cancer Prevention
Skin cancer affects everyone. There are no exceptions. It affects men, women and children, light-skinned people, dark skinned people. Skin cancer is the most rapidly growing cancer in the American population.
- Men over 40 are at high risk, as they spend more time outdoors and have the highest annual exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
- Melanoma kills more young women than any other cancer.
- While melanoma is uncommon for African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians, it is as deadly for these populations as melanoma can present itself in unlikely areas of the body, such as the palms of the hands.
- Sun damage is cumulative. It does not dissipate over time. So, teenagers who have had chronic exposure may exhibit disease later in life.
- Additionally, teenagers and children may be particularly susceptible to skin cancer, as their cells are still dividing and changing at a rapid pace.
Please:
- Stay out of the sun.
- Please wear a sunscreen at all times that protects from both UVA and UVB rays.
- Avoid tanning salons – ultra-violet rays from any source create the same problems.
- Examine your entire body for changing moles or pigmented spots of any kind on a regular basis.
- Please see your dermatologist at the earliest sign of any abnormality.
Early detection can make all the difference.
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