|
|
If you're a woman, statistics show you are even more at risk for developing melanoma, he added. The disease is increasing faster in women ages 15 to 29 than males of the same age group.
And what many people may not realize is that advanced melanoma spreads to internal organs and may result in death, said Dr. Reinberg. One American dies of melanoma almost every hour, he noted.
Cindy Mayer, co-chair of the annual Melanoma Miles for Mike 5K Run/Walk fundraiser held in Washington, spends much of her free time educating others about skin cancer. She strives to help people understand how serious the risk is, especially when they don't take precautions to protect their skin every day.
"Back in the 1950s, a person's chance of developing melanoma was 1 in 1,500," said Mayer. "This year, it's 1 in 50. And your chance of developing any type of skin cancer is 1 in 5."
And while all skin cancers are not due to the sun's damaging rays - for some people, there are genetic factors and immune system deficiencies that can cause melanoma, said Dr. Reinberg - sun exposure is the leading cause.
"We think intense sun exposure plays a role in all three cancers," he stated. "Studies also have shown tanning bed use increases the risk."
First, some skin cancer basics. There are three types of skin cancer. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the two most common forms of skin cancer, but they are both easily treated if found early, said Dr. Reinberg.
Melanoma also is treatable if caught early, he stressed.
"With melanoma, we talk about the depth of the tumor," he said. "The thinner it is, the more easily it can be treated. The longer it sits there, the deeper it goes into the skin."
Basal and squamous cell carcinomas tend to spread out, but melanoma goes deep, said Mayer, whose late son-in-law, Mike Revers, died as a result of melanoma a few years ago. Since then, she has become a strong advocate for skin protection and melanoma awareness, talking to doctors and reading everything she can to educate herself on the subject.
The Melanoma Miles for Mike fundraiser she helped her daughter, Beth (Mayer) Revers, start a couple of years ago to date has raised $66,000 for melanoma research.
Mayer has a file folder filled with articles she has clipped and copied out of magazines and newspapers regarding skin cancer, melanoma and how to protect your skin.
Know Your Skin
Skin cancer, even melanoma, can be treated successfully, as long as it is caught early, said Dr. Reinberg. And the key to catching it early is knowing your skin and having regular skin exams to identify any changes in freckles, moles or new marks of any kind.
"For adults, it's a good idea to have an annual skin exam by a physician, preferably a dermatologist, to get a base line on your skin," said Dr. Reinberg.
If you don't want to or can't go to a physician for an exam, have a spouse or friend examine your skin or do it yourself as completely as possible, he recommended - your back, scalp, soles of your feet, between your toes . . . The important thing is that you are scanning your skin for any changes.
"We tell people to look for the ABCs," said Dr. Reinberg. "A, anything asymmetrical; B, anything with an irregular border; C, anything with a varied color, shades of tan and brown, black, sometimes white, red or blue, or that is changing; D, the diameter is important. Melanomas are usually greater than 6 mm, the size of a pencil eraser, when they're diagnosed, but they can be smaller; and E, for evolving, something that is different from the rest or is evolving."
Anything noticeable in any of these areas should be examined more closely by a dermatologist, said Mayer, who was quick to point out that the ABCs are merely guidelines.
"Cancer does not play fair," she remarked. "There are two types of skin cancers that don't fit in those guidelines. One of them is nodular melanoma -Êit's symmetrical and small.
"That's why it's just so important to know your skin and know whenever there is a change."
Know the Sun
"Excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun is the most important preventable cause of all skin cancers, including melanoma," the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) notes on its melanoma fact sheet.
Before you can protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays, you need to know a little about those rays. Sunlight consists of two types of rays - ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB).
UVA rays, which can pass through windows, penetrate deep into the dermis, the thickest layer of skin, said Dr. Reinberg. These are the rays that lead to premature aging like wrinkles and sunspots. UVB rays, which are blocked by window glass, are what cause a sunburn, he noted.
Exposure to both can lead to skin cancer, which is why it's important to use a sunscreen that protects against both types of rays, said Mayer. She also stressed that staying out of the sun when its rays are the strongest - from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - adds a layer of protection as well.
Tanning beds are just as bad as the sun, and in some cases, worse.
"The amount of radiation produced during indoor tanning is similar to the sun and in some cases may be stronger," the AAD states on its melanoma fact sheet.
Mayer said her research has found where tanning beds can have two to three times the sun's UVA and UVB rays.
"And most people don't wear any kind of sunscreen when they use a tanning bed," she added. "I've also read that if you use tanning beds before you're 35, you are 75 percent more likely to develop melanoma."
In fact, indoor tanning poses such a risk to people's health that in some states it has nearly been outlawed, said Mayer, noting the beds have warning labels telling users that they have been known to cause melanoma and death.
"In some states, no one under 14 can use tanning beds and people 14 to 18 need parental permission," said Mayer.
In Missouri, House Bill 352 attempted to strengthen current law by including restrictions on minors' use of indoor tanning. It would have prohibited individuals younger than 16 from using a tanning device and required those under 18 to have a parent or legal guardian sign a written statement acknowledging that he or she has read and understands all warnings given by the facility and consents to the minor's use of a tanning device, but the bill failed.
Mayer remains hopeful that the tanning trend may be changing. Despite the reality that some young women are calling themselves "tanorexics" - like anorexics who believe they can never be thin enough, "tanorexics" believe they can never be tan enough - Mayer says many Hollywood stars are bucking the image of brown skin.
"We need to encourage young people to like their skin the way it is," Mayer remarked. "like the skin you're in."
Protect Your Skin
Most people know that sunscreen and clothing are the only way to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun, but they may not realize that they need to protect themselves every day of the year - not just in summertime, while hanging out at the pool or playing outside, and not just on days when the sun is shining.
On cloudy or overcast days, the sun's UVA rays (which penetrate deep into the dermis and can pass through windows) are still there, said Mayer. Even in the winter, the sun's rays can do damage.
"There are three things that magnify the sun's rays," said Mayer. "Water, sand and snow."
To help people remember to apply sunscreen every day, not just when they're headed to the pool, Mayer suggests they keep a tube of sunscreen in the bathroom right next to the soap dish.
When it comes to selecting a sunscreen, the best one to choose is one that you will wear, said Dr. Reinberg, but the main thing to look for on the label is that the sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays (may say "broad spectrum" protection).
Ideally, a sunscreen should be water-resistant so it can't be easily washed off with sweat or swimming, said Mayer, but still it should be reapplied every two hours when in the sun. The AAD notes that water-resistant sunscreens can lose their effectiveness after 40 minutes in the water.
Dr. Reinberg said a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher is adequate for daily wear, but he recommends people wear SPF 30 or higher for any outdoor activities.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to sunscreen is that they don't wear enough, said Dr. Reinberg. Adults need to use at least one ounce of sunscreen (enough to fill a shot glass) to cover the exposed parts of their body, he said.
Finally, sunscreen should be applied at least 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside.
For more information on protecting your skin or melanoma, visit the American Academy of Dertmatology Web site, www.aad.org.
