May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month: NYU Langone Health Expert Offers Tips to Keep Safe

LongIsland.com

1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the time they turn 70.

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Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the time they turn 70. The three most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, which is the most dangerous and deadly type of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma affects more than 96,000 Americans a year, killing more than 7,000.

Jennifer A. Stein, MD, PhD, professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, recommends that everyone follow these tips to reduce the risk of skin cancers and prevent recurrence:

  1. Avoiding a burn is really only half the battle - there is no such thing as a base tan. Damaged skin is damaged skin. If you want a sun-kissed glow on your first beach day of the summer, you can opt to use self-tanning products.
  2. Wear sunscreen every day, in all weather and in every season. Use one ounce, which would fill a shot glass. It should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 and say “broad-spectrum” on the label, which protects against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Reapply at least every 80 minutes, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming.
  3. It is especially important to use physical sunscreen (sunscreens with zinc or titanium), which is superior in efficacy to chemical sunscreen.
  4. Learn how to do a skin self-exam. Check your skin regularly so you know what’s normal and to notice any changes or new growths. Seek dermatologist evaluation if you notice a changing, bleeding, or persistently itchy spot.
  5. The best and recommended way is to apply the ABCDE Rule to determine if any mole/blemish is cancerous. The ABCDE rule tells you what to look for when examining your skin. The A stands for asymmetrical. Noncancerous moles are typically symmetrical. B is for border. The border of a cancerous spot or mole may be irregular or blurred. C stands for color. A typical mole tends to be evenly colored, usually a single shade of brown. D stands for diameter of the spot or mole which may be a warning sign if it’s larger than 6 millimeters. If the spot is evolving, which is what E stands for, it might be of concern.