PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, a time to bring awareness about ways to detect and prevent skin cancer. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. There are over five million cases diagnosed each year.
Kelsey Nadeau, FNP, DCNP, a dermatology certified nurse practitioner in the Northern Light Dermatology practice at AR Gould Hospital, offers some tips on how you can check and see if a mole or spot is a cause for concern.
“The best way to check if a mole is concerning is by using the ABCDE acronym,” says Nadeau. She explains that ABCDE referrals to the following:
A – Asymmetry: The lesion has one half that doesn’t match the other.
B – Border: The lesion has irregular, notched or blurred borders.
C – Color: The lesion has multiple colors such as brown, black, white, red, or blue.
D – Diameter: The lesion is larger than six millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser).
E – Evolving: The lesion has changed in size, shape or color over time.
“Other signs and symptoms to watch for are changes in existing moles, rough or scaley patches, sores that don’t heal, and new growths,” says Nadeau. “It’s important for people to do skin self-exams, and if they see anything that they feel is out of ordinary with their skin, to contact their primary care provider.”
As far as steps you can take to prevent skin cancer, Nadeau has two key recommendations.
Use appropriate sunscreen. “Wear sunscreen that has a SPF of 30 or greater that protects against UVA and UVB rays when you are outside, even if it is cloudy. Be sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours if you are swimming or sweating,” Nadeau says.
Avoid tanning beds and lamps. “Each time that you use a tanning bed, you increase your risk of melanoma by 20 percent. Spray tans and self-tanning products are a great alternative if you like to have that tanned or sun-kissed skin look. They don’t pose the risk that a tanning bed or tanning lamp does.”
