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Facts about skin cancer Skin cancer is fastest growing kind of cancer in the US. It is estimated that one in less than nine Americans has skin cancer. If a person reaches the age of 65; he or she is likely to be one of about two Americans in that age group to either have or have had skin cancer of one or another kind. What is alarming is that in the last thirty years or so; skin cancer has accounted for more than half of all cancers in the US. Sun –the number one cause of skin cancer We all need the sun for our very sustenance. Lack of sunlight makes life impossible. But with the American population; the sun seems to be enemy number one when it comes to causing skin cancer. What it is about the American skin that makes it so vulnerable to skin cancer due to exposure to the sun is widely unknown. It is in a sense, a mystery, because literally billions of people live in hotter climates around the sun, but are much less prone to skin cancer than Americans. That perhaps explains why over half of Americans diagnosed with melanoma are white. Whatever the underlying factor about the average American skin; it is a fact that there is no reason that is more direct or more conspicuous than the sun. A shocking nine-tenths of all American skin cancers are caused by over exposure to the sun. What is the way out? Avoid burning in the sun It is best for Americans to avoid getting into direct sunlight for the ‘peak’ hours of the day, say from nine am to four pm. Say no to tanning Tanning devices complement direct exposure to sunlight as another major reason for skin cancer. Americans need to avoid these baths and tanning booths if they have to take good care of their skin and avoid getting cancer. Small shields One other step we could take is to protect our skins from direct exposure to the sun by the use of sunscreen lotions and creams. Moisturizers that have certified value have to be applied on all the parts of the body that get exposed to the sun when going out. A good reference will be a sunscreen lotion or cream or moisturizer that has a sunscreen protection factor (SPF) of over fifteen. Self-examine Given the high rate of incidence of skin cancer, Americans could do well to carry out small self-examinations. Examining the body for any changes in the skin could be a good first step. If any abnormality is detected, go for a medical checkup. Some of the abnormalities to look out for: A sore or spot that causes continuoushurt, itch, hurt, erosion or bleeding Any open sore that takes more than two weeks to heal or changes color; displays changes in texture; whose thickness or size increases; is uneven; has an irregular border; is more than six mm is size, and which is seen after the person reaches the age of 21. GlobalCompliancePanel
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