Skin Cancer Prevention
The American Cancer Society and your physicians at Dallas Associated Dermatologists recommend:
- People of all ages should use a daily sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater which protects us from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 minutes before going outside, even on cloudy days. Sunscreen should always be reapplied after swimming, towel drying, exercising or sweating. Don’t forget your neck, ears and face.
- Limit your sun exposure during peak hours – 10:00am – 4:00pm. Learn the shadow rule and practice it with your children – if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
- Avoid exposure to UV radiation from tanning beds and stay away from tanning pills.
- Wear protective clothing such as broad brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption.
- Know your risk factors
- unprotected and/or excessive UV exposure
- fair complexion
- occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds or radium
- family history
- multiple or atypical moles
- severe sunburns as a child
- Know the signs and symptoms of skin cancer
- any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other
- darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
- scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or a change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
- the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a more or mark
- a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain