May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

In our society tan skin is considered to be beautiful and healthy Many people spend many hours and a lot of money to achieve that perfect tan.

What they don’t realize is that the perfect tan will only last for a short time, but the damage done will be life long. Next time you think you want that tan - think about the pictures you see in this slide show and ask yourself: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

Skin Cancer Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States Skin cancer cells that move to other organs in the body becomes life threatening There are several different types of skin cancer: the two most common are called basal cell squamous cell carcinomas the most dangerous form is called melanoma

Basal Cell Skin Cancer on the Face

Squamous Cell Carcinomas on the Hand and Foot

Melanoma on the Face and Eye

Statistics About Skin Cancer 53,919 people in the US were diagnosed with melanomas. 30,560 men 23,359 women 50,518 whites 1068 Hispanics 311 blacks 170 Asian/Pacific Islanders 91 American Indians/Alaska natives What group(s) do you fit in?

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Exposure to ultraviolet light This includes the sun, tanning beds, and tanning lamps

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Family history of skin cancer

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer History of sunburns - especially early in life

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, in the sun

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Blonde or red hair Although blonde and red haired people have a higher risk, anyone can get skin cancer not matter what the hair color.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Blue or green eyes: Like hair color – eye color only increases the chances. Anyone no matter what their eye color is can get skin cancer

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer Certain types and large number of moles

Symptoms of Skin Cancer It's so important to get to know your skin very well and to recognize any changes. Look for the ABCDEs of melanoma If you see one or more, make an appointment with a physician immediately.

ABCDE Symptoms Asymmetry: one half of the abnormal skin area is different than the other half If you draw a line through this mole, the two halves will not match.

Asymmetry Symmetrical = Benign Asymmetrical = Malignant

ABCDE Symptoms Borders: irregular borders The borders of an early melanoma tend to be uneven. The edges may be scalloped or notched.

Borders Border Even = Benign Border Uneven = Malignant

ABCDE Symptoms Color: varies from one area to another with shades of tan, brown, or black (sometimes white, red, blue)

Color One Color = Benign Two or more colors = Malignant

ABCDE Symptoms Diameter: usually (but not always) larger than 6 mm in size (diameter of a pencil eraser)

Diameter Smaller than ¼ inch = Benign Lager than ¼ inch = Malignant

ABCDE Symptoms Elevation: Elevation means the mole is raised above the surface and has an uneven surface.

How to Protect From Skin Cancer Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher Apply to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours. Don’t forget your hands, feet, and ears

How to Protect From Skin Cancer Seek the shade, especially between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. UV rays are at the highest during these times

How to Protect From Skin Cancer Do not burn! One sunburn in a lifetime doubles the chances of skin cancer

How to Protect From Skin Cancer Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

How to Protect From Skin Cancer Examine your skin head-to-toe every month. Look for changes and warning signs.

How to Protect From Skin Cancer See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

Protection Avoid sun tanning and UV tanning booths.

Tanning Beds Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. tan in tanning salons every year. On average, that's more than 1 million people a day who are baking themselves under tanning lamps. More than 70% of them are Caucasian females aged 16 to 49 years.

Tanning Beds The younger you are when you start indoor tanning, the greater your risk of melanoma. Your risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent if you're exposed to tanning beds before the age of 35.

Tanning Beds Traditional tanning beds and sun lamps typically give off about three times the UVA rays that are emitted by the sun. New, high-pressure sunlamps emit doses of both UVA and UVB rays that can be as much as 15 times that of the sun.

Tanning Beds Using a tanning bed more than 10 times a year made people seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds as often .

The risk of melanoma increases by 300% for those using tanning beds occasionally. The risk of melanoma increases 800% for those using tanning beds more than 10 times a year. The damage might not be seen immediately – just give it few years

The FDA estimates that 38,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year in 7,300 people will die from this condition.

A tan does not indicate good health. A tan is only a response to injury of the skin cells.

Notice in the following pictures; most of the people are over the age of 30. This is when the cancer was seen and diagnosed, but the damage had been done several years earlier. So next time you want that perfect tan ask yourself: IS IT WORTH IT?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

How beautiful is that tan now?