Read This Before You See The Signs of Skin Cancer

Can you prevent skin cancer?

Can you Prevent Skin Cancer? Yes, you certainly can, and you should be taking an active role in making sure your skin is protected in the daytime. This preventable cancer is the most common form of cancer in North America.  More than one million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. It kills over 14 thousand North Americans every year.

There are three forms of skin cancer. These are squamous cell carcinoma,  basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Out of the three types, melanoma is the most dangerous and even life threatening. Skin cancer claims the lives of approximately ten thousand Americans on an annual basis.

The main cause of skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet sunlight (UV rays). This is the main external factor in the development of skin cancer. It is also known that genetic factors can play a role. 

To protect yourself from UV rays, you should make a special effort to stay out of direct sunlight. This is especial important during the time when the UV rays are most intense, 10am to 4pm. It is a good idea to try and avoid outdoor activities at these times, and remember that sand and snow reflect sunlight, so if you're skiing or at the beach UV rays will be bombarding you from all directions.

Of course, sometime you have to, or want to go out side during the 10-4 peak hours. Make sure you cover yourself with cotton clothing. Some cotton clothing is not particularly UV resistant, with a loose weave T-shirt being a PF of about 5 and a heavy knit about 15. There are now available many UV cotton clothes that block over 97% of ultraviolet rays.

That being said, you should wear a hat with a brim, so your neck, nose and cheeks have more protections from prolonged exposure to the sun. Remember too, that white may be the color that the sun reflects from, but the reality is that dark-colored garments offer best protection.

Wear sunglasses that state on them that they block 100% UV Rays. This will guard your eyes from serious sun damage.  It does not matter the color or tint of the sunglasses, since the UV rays are blocked by a chemical application to the lenses. This chemical is invisible so dark glasses and light glasses are just as same at 100% UV resistant. On a personal note, my husband worked outside for 30 years and had UV damage to his eyes, giving his eyes a yellowish cast.

You should use sunscreen if you are going out into the sun for more than 15 minutes, even on an overcast day. The higher the UV protection the better protection you will have against dangerous sunburns. Keep re-applying if swimming and remember that UV rays can go right through water, so water is no protection from sunburn.

If you follow these steps every day, you can greatly reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. In our busy modern life, we want to go out in the sun, but have to remember that over exposure to the sun is actually dangerous.  If you live in a location that has a large amount per day of sunlight, you should be vigilant with self-examinations of your skin for any changes and report to a doctor as soon as possible. That way, if indeed you have any pre-cancerous symptoms, your odds of survival are definitely increased.