Sunscreen Season: Fun in the Sun
With the weather warming up and people turning to enjoying more days outside, Comprehensive Cancer Centers wants to stress the importance of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States and worldwide. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 and having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, which is why Comprehensive Cancer Centers is such an advocate for skin cancer prevention.
Luckily, skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. The 5-year survival rate of melanoma is 99% when caught early. Comprehensive hopes that by educating people about the risks of unprotected sun exposure and encouraging everyone to check their skin for warning signs, lives can be saved.
Comprehensive is active in helping people reduce sun exposure by having kiosks at popular locations around the city where people can get free sunscreen. The arrival of May also has seen the return of the Las Vegas Aviators free sunscreen kiosks. Comprehensive has been named the Official Sponsor of Daytime Baseball. Sunscreen kiosks at the Las Vegas Ballpark can be found in the bathrooms in the outfield and in the pool area.
The practice also provides free sunscreen at many community events through a partnership with American Cancer Society, Downtown Summerlin, UNLV Athletics, Las Vegas Lights FC, Vegas Golden Knights, Henderson Silver Knights, Springs Preserve and Cadence master-planned community. The oncology clinic has partnered with Clark County Parks and Recreation to offer free sunscreen kiosks at more than 50 facilities including recreation centers, senior centers, pools and camp sites. Comprehensive also has sunscreen partnerships with PENTA Building Group as well as Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) through their Summer Heat campaign each year.
Skin Cancer: What to Look For
The Skin Cancer Foundation has put together a new campaign called The Big Three from the Big See®. This campaign was established to empower people to get to know your skin, check yourself in the mirror and keep these three simple words in mind: NEW, CHANGING or UNUSUAL. This knowledge could save your life by understanding those words in better detail:
New – If you see something new on your skin, get it checked out.
Changing – If you see something on your skin that’s changing, get it looked out as well.
Unusual – If you see something sees off, such as misshapen mole or a really dark mole, get it checked out.
Another way of remembering what to look for when examining your skin for skin cancer is ABCDE:
- Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half
- Border irregularity: The edges of the mole are ragged or notched
- Color: The color of the mole is not the same all over. There may be shades of tan, brown or black and sometimes patches of red, white or blue
- Diameter: The mole is wider that about ¼ inch
- Evolution: Change over time
What you see could be nothing, but you’ll have peace of mind in knowing that you’re OK. It’s important to establish baselines for your skin, so if you see something abnormal, you can tell more easily if it changes over time.
Don’t Fry Day
Another great resource for skin cancer awareness is ‘Don’t Fry Day’, which happens on May 27th and is held by the National Council on Skin Cancer. The Council has declared the Friday before Memorial Day, as “Don’t Fry Day,” as it’s seen as the official kickoff of summer, and what Comprehensive refers to as Sun Smart Season.
Celebrating ‘Don’t Fry Day’ is easy and beneficial for skin safety. This is made possible by the following resources set up by their Slip, Slop, Slap® and Wrap campaign, which means:
- Slip on a shirt
- Slop on some sunscreen
- Slap on a wide-brimmed hat
- Wrap on some sunglasses
- Listen for the UV Index, and enjoy the shade between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Whether you’re at an Aviators game, or simply spending time in a backyard pool, there are plenty of ways to reduce skin cancer risks this summer. If you’d like to learn more, check out Comprehensive’s Sun Smart resource page. Protect Your Fun in the Sun!
Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help
Physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers provide a variety of treatment options for patients with skin cancers, with all treatments done in Southern Nevada. To schedule an appointment with Comprehensive, please call 702-952-3350.
The content is this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.