SKIN CANCER ALERT

People in their teens and 20’s, don’t appreciate the damage ultraviolet radiation can do.  Melanoma is the second leading cause of cancer of any time in patients age 15 through 29.

Melanoma is one of three types of skin cancer but is responsible for 75 percent of all deaths from the disease.

Along with wearing sunscreen every day, I recommend a full skin body check every year to look for new moles or changes in existing moles which could be early signs of skin cancer. Check every year on your birthday “check your birthday suit”. Check more frequently if you have had a prior diagnosis.

Other than a spray-on tan, it’s important to remember that there is no such thing as a ‘safe’ tan.

We’re seeing a rise in young people because they often go to tanning salons thinking this is safe.  They are actually exposing themselves to radiation that can be 12 times stronger than radiation coming from the sun.

Protect your skin daily by applying sunscreen Spf 15 or stronger.