May is melanoma and skin cancer awareness month, and with over 5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the United States, we want to talk about the importance of protecting and checking your skin.
Skin cancer has no preference of race, gender, or age. Skin cancer can affect anyone. A common misconception is “I don’t get sunburns, so I can’t get skin cancer!”. It doesn’t matter if you consider your skin light, dark, somewhere in between, or that you tan in the sun or burn, skin cancer can affect ANYONE. The sun causes damage to your skin, whether it is visible or not, which is why it’s important to protect your skin when it is being exposed to the sun or UV rays.
Protecting your skin:
The most important step in your skincare routine is sunscreen. Wearing medical grade sunscreen, under your makeup or alone, should be done everyday. When the UV index is 3 or higher, use a broad spectrum sunscreen of 15 or higher on your body. Avoid the use of tanning beds...When people have a “base tan” or a change in skin color, this is actually a sign of injury, not health. A safer alternative to getting the tan you desire is to use a self tanning lotion!
Checking your skin:
Doing a self check on your skin is important for noticing changes in different spots. If you notice a change in a mole in color, shape, or size, it could warrant a visit to your doctor. It’s also very important to keep up with your yearly visits. Protecting and checking your skin is so important when it comes to skin health!
Call Arledge Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery to learn more about our medical grade sunscreen!