4 Steps to Take If Skin Cancer Runs in Your Family
Having a relative diagnosed with skin cancer like melanoma can naturally be concerning. Read on to learn more about how that affects your risk and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
Lesser Known Facts About Skin Cancer
Most people know getting too much sun can increase their risk of skin cancer. However, there is much more to skin cancer than many people realize. In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, here are some less well-known facts and statistics.
Dr. Trevan Fischer is well-versed in skin cancer and its treatment through his work as a complex general surgical oncologist at his private practice in Santa Monica, California. Whether you have a concerning mark on your skin or have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, or another type of skin cancer, he provides state-of-the-art care and the most up-to-date knowledge through his work on clinical trials at the Saint John's Cancer Institute.
Prevalence
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States and around the world, with 20% of people in the United States affected by it by age 70. Put another way, almost 10,000 individuals are diagnosed with skin cancer each day. Over two people die from it every hour. More people get a skin cancer diagnosis every year than all other kinds of cancer put together.
Damage from the sun
The sun causes about 90% of skin aging, and the damage is cumulative. In a person who lives 78 years, they will have had almost 25% of their life's sun damage done by the age of 18.
The way a person’s skin reacts to the sun can help predict the kind of skin cancer they develop. Squamous or basal cell carcinoma diagnoses are more common in people whose skin tends to tan. People who experience severe sunburns are more likely to get melanoma.
Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the skin, including under the finger or toenails. It can appear as a dark spot and be mistaken for a bruise, but if it doesn't go away, be sure to have it checked out.
Indoor tanning
Indoor tanning is also dangerous to the skin as ultraviolet (UV) radiation is proven to cause cancer in humans. Radiation amounts during indoor tanning can be 10 to 15 times higher than being outside in the sun, even when it's at its strongest.
No amount of indoor tanning is safe. Women who have ever tanned indoors have a six times greater chance of melanoma in their 20s, and an almost 70% increased risk of basal cell carcinoma before age 40.
The good news is fewer high school students in the United States are tanning indoors. There was a 53% decrease between 2009 and 2015 and nineteen states, plus Washington, DC, have banned it in people under age 18.
Whether you have an abnormal mark on your skin or have been given a skin cancer diagnosis, we can help. Click to book an appointment with Dr. Fischer or call our office today.
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