Tips To Reduce The Risk Of Melanoma
Currently, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer seen in the United States and around the world. Reports indicate as many as one in every five individuals will experience skin cancer by the time they turn seventy years old. Melanoma is not a common type of skin cancer. However, it is widely considered the most aggressive and deadliest form. Like other types of cancer, melanoma is the result of DNA mutation in cells. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the most common cause of cell mutations that cause melanoma. This ultraviolet radiation can be from the sun’s ultraviolet rays or the lights used in tanning beds. The spots seen on the skin in cases of melanoma usually look like moles and are black or brown. They can, however, come in other colors. Melanoma spots will appear differently than regular moles on the skin.
One of the most common melanoma cures is the removal of abnormal moles on the body. If patients are lucky, this will get rid of their cancer. However, many patients also have to undergo additional treatment, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy for melanoma. The best treatment for melanoma, of course, is to prevent it from occurring.
Wear Sunscreen Outside
Everyone who spends even a short amount of time outside must wear sunscreen. This is a vital part of preventing them from developing skin cancer, particularly melanoma. Sunscreens come in varying degrees of protection from the sun. This is denoted on the bottles with an SPF value, which stands for sun protection factor. In order for a sunscreen’s protection to be adequate, the SPF must be at least 30.
Sunscreens with an SPF of 30 are supposed to protect the skin from 98 percent of the UVA and UVB rays from the sun. However, individuals have to reapply their sunscreen every two hours and when they come out of the water and towel dry, otherwise their protection will not be effective. This applies to sunscreens with SPFs of 50 and higher as well. They must be reapplied regularly or they are not effective.
Get the details on how to prevent melanoma with shade next.
