Skin Cancer Screening

Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. If left untreated, these cancer cells can spread from the skin into other tissues and organs.

Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are highly curable, while melanoma is the most serious. Like basal cell and squamous cell cancers, melanoma is almost always curable when diagnosed in its early stages. Melanoma is much more likely than other skin cancer types to aggressively spread to other parts of the body if not detected early.

Taking some simple measures can dramatically reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Examine your skin head to toe every month. See a dermatologist once a year for a professional skin exam.

Sun exposure is one of the primary risk factors for developing skin cancer. Fortunately, wearing sunscreen can help protect your skin and reduce the risk. Apply a UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day, even if you’re indoors.

For extended outdoor activities, apply a water-resistant UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.

Limit your sun exposure and stay in the shade whenever possible, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Cover up with long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

Avoid using sunlamps and tanning booths (or tanning beds), which are proven to increase skin cancer risk and prematurely age skin.

Keep newborns out of the sun. Use sunscreen on babies over six months.

Skin cancer screening starts with a head-to-toe self-examination performed at home once a month. A self-exam helps detect any precancerous or cancerous lesions at an early stage, when it’s more treatable.

Dermatologists recommend the following ABCDE guidelines when self-examining moles:

• Asymmetry — One half of the mole does not match the other half.
• Border — The border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred or irregular.
• Color — The color of the mole is not the same throughout or has different shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white or red.
• Diameter — The diameter of a mole is larger than the eraser of a pencil.
• Evolution — The mole changes in size, shape or color.

If a mole is displaying any of the signs listed above, have it checked immediately by a dermatologist.

If you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, see a dermatologist once a year for a complete skin checkup. A skin checkup usually takes around 15 minutes. It includes a medical history review and a head-to-toe examination of your skin.

Make sure to call your doctor’s attention to any irregular spots you may have noticed in your last monthly self-exam.