With over 5 million Americans being diagnosed with skin cancer every year, it is the most common cancer in the U.S. The good news is, skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer and Abarca goes all in to spread information on how you can make sure you and your family are protected.
About 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 85% of melanoma cases are linked to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. By sharing facts about the dangers of unprotected exposure and encouraging people to undergo regular skin tests, we can help save lives.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and even though many of us are practicing social distancing, we can still come together to advocate this cause.
- To lower your skin cancer risk, protect your skin from the sun, and avoid indoor tanning.
- Damage from exposure to UV rays builds up over time, so sun protection should start at an early age. Here are some Sun Safety Tips for Your Family provided by the CDC.
- Learn what skin cancer is, what the symptoms and risk factors are, and how to lower your risk.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but people with certain characteristics are at greater risk:
- A lighter natural skin color.
- Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun.
- Certain types and a large number of moles.
- A family history of skin cancer.
- A personal history of skin cancer.
- Older age.
Sun protection is important all year round, and it’s best to use several different kinds no matter the activity you’re performing, such as wearing a hat with a wide brim that shades your face, head, ears, and neck; sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays; and wearing sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and both UVA and UVB (broad spectrum) protection.
Join us in our efforts toward better care for our communities by helping us spread the facts and these sun protection tips so that we may fight skin cancer together. Make sun safety an everyday habit so you can avoid getting a sunburn and lower your chance of getting this disease. Practicing these prevention methods are extremely important, especially when living on a tropical island!
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This blog was written by Suzette Velez, Director Of Clinical Services at Abarca Health.