Skin Safety Tips
Just as the skin helps protect the body, it also needs protection from factors that can cause it harm. Taking the following precautions can prevent many cases of skin cancer:
Use Sunscreen
Studies have shown that using a sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or higher can prevent skin cancer. If you are going to get any sun exposure, it is best to wear sunscreen. It is easiest if you put it on when you get up in the morning. Put it on your face, hands and arms and those areas that are going to be exposed to the sun, including your lips, the tips of your ears and the backs of your hands and neck. You need to use about an ounce of sunscreen to adequately cover your entire body. Also, be sure to re-apply your sunscreen periodically if you stay outside for a while.
Reapply sunscreen after swimming or exercising. Apply sunscreen to young children before they go outdoors, and teach older children and teenagers how to use sunscreen to protect themselves. Remember, only one serious sunburn in childhood can cause melanoma (and other skin cancers) many decades later. A little sunscreen and common sense can prevent our children from growing up with an increased risk of skin cancer.
Wear Protective Clothing
Wear a broad-brimmed hat and long-sleeve shirt, as well as other clothing that protects you from the sunrays if you're going to be outdoors. Do not forget sunglasses that block out both UVA and UVB rays.
Avoid the Sun During Peak Hours
After 10 a.m., try to stay in the shade and out of the direct sunlight until 3 p.m. The sun is most intense at noon. Thus, the most damage is done at that time. Try to schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy. You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays. If you go to the beach, use a beach umbrella to help reduce the amount of time directly in the sun.
Avoid Tanning Beds
Avoid using tanning beds. Like the sun, they expose you to ultraviolet radiation. Several studies now demonstrate a significant increase in skin cancers in people who use tanning beds. From our own clinical experience, there are now a lot of young people, usually young women in their teens and early twenties, who develop melanoma. When we ask them if they have ever gone to tanning beds, the answer is "yes" 100% of the time!
Be aware of sun-sensitizing medications
Some common prescription and over-the-counter drugs - including antibiotics, certain cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes medications, birth control pills, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and the acne medicine isotretinoin (Accutane) - can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Ask your physician or pharmacist about the side effects of any medications you take. If they increase your sensitivity to sunlight, take extra precautions.
Check your skin regularly and report changes to your physician
Examine your skin often for new skin growths or changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks. Using a mirror, check your face, neck, ears and scalp. Examine your chest and trunk, and the tops and undersides of your arms and hands. Examine both the front and back of your legs and your feet, including the soles and the spaces between your toes.
How To Do a Skin Self-Exam
The best time to do a skin self-exam is after a shower or bath. You should check your skin in a well-lit room using a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It's best to begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles and blemishes are and what they usually look and feel like.
Check for anything new:
- A new mole that looks abnormal
- A change in the size, shape, color or texture of a mole
- A sore that does not heal
Examine yourself from head to toe. Remember to check all areas of the skin, including the back, the scalp, between the buttocks and the genital area.
- Examine your face, neck, ears and scalp. Use a comb or blow dryer to move your hair so you can see better or have a family member or friend check through your hair because this is difficult to do yourself.
- Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
- Bend your elbows and carefully inspect at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides) and upper arms.
- Study the back, front and sides of your legs. Also look between your buttocks and around your genital area.
- Closely examine your feet, including the toenails, the soles and the spaces between the toes. It's easier to do this sitting down.
By regularly checking your skin, you will become familiar with what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin self-exams and to take notes about the way your skin looks. If you find anything unusual, see your physician immediately.
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