May 28, 2015 4 min read

Vacation season is right around the corner. For most Americans, this involves time in the sun. You may be in the habit of packing sunscreen for your trip to the beach, but there are additional ways to protect yourself from the sun.

Remember, summer is not the only time of the year that you are at risk for skin damage from the sun’s rays. One in six Americans develops skin cancer at some point in their lives, and prevalence of skin cancer has been increasing over the past few decades. An estimated 73,000 new cases of invasive melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2015.

However, most patients with skin cancer develop nonmelanoma skin cancer. This group of cancers includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Mortality associated with nonmelanoma skin cancer is unusual, but is can result in scarring and disfiguration.

As with all preventable diseases, the key is protection. Regular daily use of an SPF 15 of a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 40 percent and the risk of developing melanoma by 50 percent. For extended outdoor activity, a water resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher is recommended. A broad-brimmed hat goes a long way toward preventing skin cancer in high prevalence areas such as the neck, ears, scalp, and face. Choose a 3-4 inch brim that extends all around the hat. Baseball caps and visors shade the face but leave neck, lower face, and ears exposed. Healthy habits are best learned young. Because skin damage occurs with each unprotected exposure and accumulates over the course of a lifetime, sun safety for children should be a priority. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply every two hours.

Your Family Physician can play an important role in identification of suspicious skin lesions. It is important to bring lesions to the attention of your physician. Any change in color, size or shape of lesions should be examined by an experienced professional. Other signs to look for include inflammation, bleeding, scabbing or crusting and diameter larger than a pencil eraser (6mm). If you notice any of these characteristics, your Family Physician may perform a biopsy of the skin. This is a simple procedure done in the office. This sample will be evaluated under a microscope by a Pathologist, a doctor who specializes in laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes. If you have a personal history of skin cancer or a high risk skin type, such as a rare atypical mole syndrome, you may benefit from a yearly skin exam by a Dermatologist. For more information on prevention of this common cancer please visit one of the attached links from the CDC and World Health Organization.

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/

http://www.who.int/uv/faq/skincancer/en/index1.html

About Dr. Sarah White

Dr. Sarah White was born in Erie, Pennsylvania and was raised in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Biochemistry from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. After graduation, she plans to remain in the Washington area with her husband and two children, with hopes to practice full-scope Family Medicine.