May: Skin Awareness Month at Milwaukee Center for Longevity Medicine
My first year in Milwaukee, I experienced a very pleasant long summer. I walked, jogged, biked and walked at Lakefront having lots of outdoor exercise and fun. Although I don't have a family history of skin cancer my stepfather in his 60's was diagnosed with a malignant type of skin carcinoma. He has been getting regular yearly skin excisions to contain the skin cancer and prevent the spread.
It was a shock to all of us, so what can you do to prevent skin cancer?
Remember unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays in as little as 15 minutes. Yet it can take up to 12 hours for skin to show the full effect of sun exposure. Did you know that even if it’s cool and cloudy you still need protection?
It’s the UV ray that does the damage, not the temperature.
Clouds do not block UV rays; they filter them—and sometimes only slightly. Always remember to plan ahead, and keep sun protection handy in your car, bag, or child's backpack.
Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types, called basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are highly curable. But melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous.
Risk Factors
Anyone can get skin cancer, but some things put you at higher risk such as:
- A lighter natural skin color.
- A personal history of skin cancer.
- A family history of melanoma.
- Exposure to the sun through work and play.
- A history of sunburns early in life.
- Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun.
- Blue or green eyes.
- Naturally blond or red hair.
How to Protect Yourself
Take precautions against sun exposure every day of the year, especially during midday hours (10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.), when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage. UV rays can reach you on cloudy days, and can reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow.
- Seek shade, especially during midday hours.
- Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
- Put on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.
- Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. The UV rays from them are as dangerous as the UV rays from the sun.
Reduce your health risks now. Learn more about personalized physician supervised preventative programs and the science behind functional medicine at Milwaukee Center for Longevity Medicine.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.