Skin cancer is one the most common types of cancers all over the world, affecting millions of people each year. While it can be a devastating diagnosis, skin cancer is usually very treatable when it’s detected in its early stages.
Skin cancer awareness is one of the best ways you can protect yourself and your loved ones. Understanding the signs, prevention, and early detection are all crucial in the fight against it. Find out how to use these vital methods in order to recognize and prevent skin cancer before it takes hold.
What Causes Skin Cancer?
Most skin cancers, especially those that occur in younger populations, are caused by sun exposure. Long term exposure, short periods of intense UV exposure, and sunburns all increase the risk of skin cancer. Sunburns that blister further increase the chances of developing skin cancer. The UV rays in sunlight damage the DNA in your skin, which can cause abnormal cells to form. These abnormal cells then divide rapidly in a random pattern, creating a mass of cancer cells.
Genetics, age, underlying health conditions, and other environmental factors can also predispose individuals to certain types of skin cancers – with or without UV exposure. Tanning beds and sunbathing without sunscreen are also factors that greatly increase your chances of developing skin cancer.
Recognizing the Signs of Skin Cancer
One of the most effective ways of identifying melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is by using the ABCDE rule:
- A is for Asymmetry: One half of the mole or spot doesn’t match the other half
- B is Border: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred