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Summer Skin Safety

With the arrival of summer, more people are opting to enjoy outdoor activities. As a result, Comprehensive Cancer Centers is urging Southern Nevadans to stay proactive in protecting one of the body’s most vital organs. With summertime activities ramping up, the message is simple: Stay skin smart.

“This has been a year like no other that has kept a number of Southern Nevadans inside and out of the sun,” said Comprehensive’s chief executive officer, Jon Bilstein. “As residents reacclimate and venture outdoors more, we want to help keep skin safety top of mind. We’re able to do so with the help of our incredible community partners, who are helping us educate and protect our residents, so they never become a patient due to sun exposure.”

In terms of new melanoma or skin cancer diagnoses in the Silver State, one is too many. In 2021, according to the American Cancer Society, 1,000 Nevadans will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin, marking an increase from the prior year. Amid rising rates of skin cancer and melanoma occurrences nationwide, awareness remains a powerful tool in mitigating the chance of a prospective skin-related diagnosis.

On the awareness front and as the summer season is in full swing, Comprehensive is launching its 2021 skin safety awareness campaign, with key community partnerships at its core. Throughout the last five-plus years, the practice has grown its collaborative endeavors, which have included strategically placed and easy-to-access sunscreen dispensing kiosks as well as unique awareness measures.

Comprehensive has established sunscreen partnerships with the following:  Las Vegas AviatorsUNLV Rebel FootballLas Vegas Lights FCVegas Golden KnightsNevada Cancer CoalitionLas Vegas Springs PreservePENTA Building GroupCity of Las VegasRegional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern NevadaDowntown Summerlin®Cowabunga Bay and the Cadence master-planned community. The practice also provides free sunscreen at many community wide events through a partnership with American Cancer Society and has partnered with Clark County Parks and Recreation to offer free sunscreen kiosks at more than 50 facilities including rec centers, senior centers, pools and camp sites.

Prior to getting out in the sun, it’s important to make sure your skin is healthy. Everyone can do this easily by doing self-examinations for skin abnormalities. To do this, just follow the simple ABCDE checklist:

  • Asymmetry: Healthy moles are symmetrical, meaning they are evenly shaped on all sides. Be sure that no side is different than the other.
  • Border irregularity: Edges of healthy moles should be smooth. If they are ragged or notched there could be an issue of concern.
  • Color: Moles should be the same color all over. Make sur there are no shades of tan, brown or black or patches of red, white or blue.
  • Diameter: A healthy mole is never wider than one half of an inch. If moles are larger than this, have them examined.
  • Evolution: Healthy moles should stay relatively the same size and shape. If a mole starts changing size or shape, that could mean a problem is starting to form.

If any issues of concern are found with any of your moles, be sure to visit your dermatologist for an exam before you get out into the sun. Also, for more information on Comprehensive’s skin safety awareness campaign and proactive measures to reduce risks, visit the oncology practice’s sun safety resource page.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers is an award-winning multi-specialty practice comprising medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, breast surgery, pulmonary services, cancer genetic counseling and clinical research, with treatment centers and offices throughout Southern Nevada. For more than 40 years, the practice has provided oncology services to patients in and out of state with a specialized physician and nursing staff.

Comprehensive, an affiliate of The US Oncology Network, offers state-of-the-art technologies, latest advancements in cancer treatment and groundbreaking clinical research trials. The practice participates in more than 170 Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical research studies each year and has played a role in developing more than 100 FDA-approved cancer therapies.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help

Physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers provide a variety of treatment options for skin cancer with world class clinical research and immunotherapy.  To schedule an appointment with the team at Comprehensive, please call 702-952-3350.

 

The content in 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.

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