Keep Your Skin Safe

by Jessica Migala

On a beautiful sunny day, it feels so good to get outside for a walk or trip to the park with your grandkids. But it’s important to keep sun safety top of mind.

Skin cancer risk increases throughout our lives — one in five Americans will develop it by the time they reach 70 years old, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Ultraviolet rays from sunlight can make you feel warm and happy, but they are the main culprit behind skin cancer. These rays damage DNA in skin cells, which can gradually develop into skin cancer over time.

Skin cancer is divided into two main categories:

Nonmelanoma skin cancer

Includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the top two most common forms of skin cancer that affect more than three million people in the U.S. every year. Cancerous spots start in the top layer of your skin and most often appear on sun-exposed areas, like your face, neck and arms.

Melanoma skin cancer

Considered the most serious type of skin cancer. What’s worrisome is that the rate of melanoma among adults over age 80 has been on the rise, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Melanomas most often show up on the chest, back and legs, but this type of cancer is also more invasive and can spread to other places in the body.

Skin cancer is highly treatable. Most nonmelanoma skin cancers can be cured with treatments like a minor surgery to remove the cancerous spot on the skin. And if melanoma is caught before it spreads, 99% of cases are treatable.

The first step, though, is identifying suspicious spots on your skin — and flagging them with your doctor or dermatologist. Experts recommend paying attention to new or changing spots on your skin and watching for the ABCDEs of skin cancer. If you notice a spot that’s in line with the criteria below, contact your provider:
• Asymmetrical: An irregular shape
• Border: An irregular or jagged border
• Color: Uneven color
• Diameter: Larger than the size of a pea
• Evolving: Has changed over the last weeks or months

Protect your skin as you age

The reality is that even though most skin cancers are found in older adults, less than half of people 65 and older protect themselves when they spend time in the sun, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While sunscreen is one of the cornerstones of sun protection, there are actually five things the CDC recommends doing to safeguard your skin. Choosing a combination of strategies will maximize protection to prevent burns and lessen skin cancer risk. Here’s what you can do — starting today:

Slather on sunscreen

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher. This type of sunscreen will protect against UVA and UVB rays, both of which contribute to skin cancer. Reapply as frequently as directed on the sunscreen bottle.

Seek out shade

Whether you’re sitting under a tree at your grandkid’s soccer game, bringing an umbrella to the beach or setting up a chair under a canopy at the backyard BBQ, shade is your friend.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat

Baseball caps and bucket hats are nice, but a wide-brimmed hat with at least a 3-inch brim will shield your face, scalp, ears and back of the neck from the sun.

Wear ankle-length pants or skirts

Loose, long pants or skirts can keep you cool while helping to filter some UV rays.

Wear long-sleeved shirts

Long sleeves safeguard your arms from the sun. You can even look for clothing that’s UPF 30 or higher, which means that the fabric is an effective U-blocker. Now get out there and have some fun in the sun!