HEALTH |
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Using SPF today may keep skin cancer away tomorrowBy Leanna Gable
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and 75 percent of skin cancer deaths are caused by the malignant cancer melanoma, according to the website WebMD (www.webmd.com).There are two other types of skin cancer as well: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. All of these cancers are dangerous and unhealthy, and, yes, skin cancer kills. Cumulative sun-exposure is the leading cause of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, and the leading cause of melanoma is repeated, severe sunburns, usually before the age of 18.In checking for skin cancer, WebMD says most doctors rely on the ABCD method of identifying signs: Asymmetry�the two halves of a mole do not match; Border�the edges of a mole are uneven or blurred; Color�uneven shades of red, brown, black, tan, white or blue; Diameter�a change in size of a mole. Self-checks can help prevent skin cancer from becoming more severe.The best methods for preventing skin cancer are applying sunscreen with an SPF-sun protection factor of 15 or greater, choosing cosmetics with sunscreen, wearing sunglasses with UV protection and avoiding direct sun exposure as much as possible. Eighty percent of a person�s sun exposure is attained before the age of 18, though skin cancer usually appears much later in life.Spring breakers should protect themselves from the sun before they enjoy that warm sand between their toes. |
By this time during the semester, most college students are thinking about the warm, sandy beaches that they�ll be visiting on spring break, but no one really considers the health risks of sun exposure when they are half-naked in the sun.