Dr. Robert Norman
Last month we began our discussion on twelve skin cancer myths.
This guide is to separate fallacy from reality and help you choose the right course of action. Let’s continue to explore some of the common facts and myths about skin cancer and include some tips to reduce your risk. Here are myths 7 – 12.
Myth 7: Melanomas never happen to those less than 30 years old.
I was told in my dermatology training that a melanoma in a teenager was quite rare. Yet ten years later, in one six-month period, I had a 14 and a 15-year-old with Stage 4 melanoma. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer in young adults aged 25-29 and the second most common form of cancer among people. It is also increasing faster in women ages 15 to 29 than in men in the same age group.
You should check your skin monthly and be alerted to changes in the number, size, shape, or color of spots on your skin or sores that do not heal. Pay special attention to moles –
especially moles that have recently changed, bled or itched. And get a complete skin exam yearly or more often if you or family members have a history of skin cancer.
Myth 8: A melanoma is always easy to treat.
Treatment can be relatively easy when you detect a melanoma early. When a melanoma has grown and spreads to the liver, bone, brain, or digestive system, it can require more invasive and long-term treatments. Melanoma may be fatal without proper therapy.
If you have an odd-looking or suspicious mole that has changed in size or color, especially one that itches or bleeds, get it checked out. If you have had three or more blistering sunburns in childhood, you have a higher risk of melanoma.
Get an annual skin cancer screening to identify cancer in its early stages. If you have a melanoma, the five-year survival rate if detected and treated before it spreads is almost 100 percent.
Myth 9: Having a base tan will protect you against melanoma.
A tan is simply a “controlled burn.” If your skin changes color in response to sun exposure, it indicates damage to the DNA of your skin cells. A safe base tan or a tan that prevents sunburn does not exist.
In trying to protect your cells, your body sends melanin, or pigment, to the surface of your skin. The body senses that UV damage is occurring. With a sunburn, it becomes more than the skin can manage and it can’t be repaired. You may get color on your skin, but it will be at the expense of your health. You may develop unsightly lesions, wrinkles, and skin cancer.
Any level of UV damage is harmful to your skin and may increase your risk of skin cancer. Key actions to take to adequately protect your skin are the four S’s: shade, sunscreen, skin coverings, and sunglasses.
Myth 10: Tanning beds don’t pose a skin cancer risk.
Not true. Tanning beds emit the same harmful UV rays as the sun, and in greater amounts. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, indoor tanning beds can emit 10 to 15 times more UV radiation than the sun at its peak. Exposure to the ultraviolet light from tanning beds can be harmful to the skin in a number of ways, including premature aging, wrinkles, sunspots, or freckles. One in every five Americans who frequent tanning booths may get skin cancer, including melanoma. The use of tanning beds and sun lamps is hazardous because the UV radiation they deliver can damage your skin and should be avoided. Using sunless tanning products is a prudent alternative.
In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration elevated the risk of tanning beds from class I (low to moderate) to class II (moderate to high). Using tanning beds increases the risk of developing all forms of skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form.
If you regularly use a tanning bed before age 35, it increases your risk of developing melanoma by 75%. Indoor tanning is linked to about 6,200 cases of melanoma in the United States every year.
Myth 11: Makeup with SPF is all you need.
A broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher is optimal, but most cosmetics with built-in sunblock have a SPF of only 15. In order to keep your skin safe against harmful UV rays, you will need to double up on the protection. After washing in the morning, you can apply moisturizers with SPF 30 or more and re-apply sunscreen as the day goes on and if you have more sun exposure. Don’t forget about your lips. Make sure you apply lip balm or lipstick with a SPF of 30 or higher.
Myth 12: Putting on sunscreen is always effective.
Wrong. It is not effective unless applied correctly. Here are 4 key tips from the American Academy of Dermatology:
• Always apply sunscreen before going outdoors. Remember that it takes approximately 15 minutes for your skin to absorb the sunscreen and protect you. Do not wait until you are in the sun to apply sunscreen; your skin is unprotected and can burn.
• Use enough sunscreen. Most adults need about 1 ounce — or enough to fill a shot glass — to fully cover their body. Rub the sunscreen thoroughly into your skin. Reapply every 2 hours.
• Apply sunscreen to all bare skin. Remember your neck, face, ears, tops of your feet and legs. For hard‐to‐reach areas like your back, ask someone to help you or use spray sunscreen. If you have thinning hair, either apply sunscreen to your scalp or wear a wide‐brimmed hat. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm with a SPF of at least 15.
• To remain protected when outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or immediately after swimming or sweating. People who get sunburned usually don’t use enough sunscreen, don’t reapply it after being in the sun, or use an expired product.
Most people under-apply sunscreens, using ¼ to ½ the amount required. Using half the required amount of sunscreen only provides the square root of the SPF. If you do not apply enough sunscreen or you apply your sunscreen incorrectly, it will result in a lower SPF than the labeled protection level. A half application of an SPF 30 sunscreen only provides an effective SPF of 5.5!
Parents and caregivers need to make sure that sunscreen is applied in liberal amounts to protect the children and the elderly. Children can be taught at an early age, with supervision, to apply sunscreen properly. Again, make sure you and others under your care wear a hat, sunglasses, and sun protective clothing, especially during peak sun hours. And if you go swimming or sweat a lot, it’s a good idea to reapply the sunscreen.
If you missed myths 1-6, be sure to read the August edition of the Dunndeal Gazettes.
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/find/at-risk/abcdes
Dr. Norman is an advanced master naturalist graduate of the FMNP program from UF and a board-certified dermatologist based in Tampa and Riverview. He can be reached at 813-880-7546.
Dr. Norman is an advanced master naturalist graduate of the FMNP program from UF and a board-certified dermatologist based in Tampa and Riverview. He can be reached at 813-880-7546.
70 books (series editor of 39) ● 300+ articles ● 150 Lectures and Blogs
45 videos and films ● 18 photo calendars and exhibits ● 4 music CDs
Tampa Bay Medical Hero Award (2008)
● Hadassah Humanitarian Award (2012)
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