As the weather heats up and everyone spends more time in the sunshine, it’s important to prioritize skin safety. Skin cancer is incredibly common and can be deadly, but it is also preventable.
Skin cancer is uncontrolled cell division as a result of damage, primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, according to Dr. Akhil Wadhera, a dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente Fremont and Union City medical centers.
There are three main types of skin cancer, and they carry different risk factors. Basal and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common and the least dangerous.
Wadhera said that basal cell carcinoma typically looks like a pearly spot in an area on the body that receives a lot of sun exposure. Basal cells also bleed very easily.
“If someone sees a lesion that is not healing and tends to spontaneously bleed when you are not picking at it, that makes me think that it could be basal cell carcinoma,” Wadhera said.
Melanoma, while less common [than Basal and squamous cell carcinoma], is the most deadly because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body
Melanoma, while less common, is the most deadly because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body, Wadhera said.
Melanoma starts in the melanocytes, which are cells that give skin color. And, Wadera said, people should look out for pigment changes in their own skin.
“If you have a mole you’ve had for 20 or 30 years, and it begins to change in color or depth. If it was flat before, but now it starts getting thicker,” Wadhera said. “That is a sign that you want to have it looked at.”
Wadhera recommends that people examine their skin for these changes, because early detection can make a big difference.
“We typically say, at least once a year on your birthday, take a look at your skin,” Wadhera said. “More than 50% of the times when a melanoma is diagnosed, it’s the patient or their family member who says, ‘What about this mole? This is changing.’”
Recognizing these signs and symptoms is important, but it’s also important to take preventative action for skin protection.
Wadhera said that using broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher is the most effective way to prevent skin from sun damage because broad spectrum sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB radiation, both of which are responsible for skin cancer.
Wadhera recommended using UV protective clothing and seeking shade when spending time outside, and discouraged using tanning beds.
Wadhera stressed the importance of daily sun protection as cloud cover does not block UV radiation. And, Wadhera said, most of the time people spend in the sun happens in passing.
“Sometimes people say, ‘It’s rainy, I don’t need to use sunscreen’ or ‘I’m at home, I don’t need to use sunscreen,’” Wadhera said. “But the skin keeps track, and skin cancer comes from cumulative sun exposure.”
