UV Safety Awareness Month: The ABCDEs of Melanoma
July is UV Safety Awareness Month.
As we spend time in the sun, we should be aware of the harm that UV rays cause to our skin. Exposure to UV rays causes most cases of melanoma. To lower your skin cancer risk and protect your skin, the CDC recommends the following:
- Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher with both UVA and UVB protection and reapply often
- Wear protective clothing- lightweight long-sleeves and pants
- Wear a hat with a wide brim that shades your face, head, ears, and neck
- Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVS rays
- Stay in the shade, especially during late morning through mid-afternoon
Look for these melanoma warning signs from the Skin Cancer Foundation to know when to see your doctor:
- A is for Asymmetry. Most melanomas are asymmetrical.
- B is for Border. Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges, while common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders.
- C is for Color. Multiple colors are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan, or black.
- D is for Diameter or Dark. While it’s ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it’s a warning sign if a lesion is the size of a pencil eraser or larger. Some experts say it is also important to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than others.
- E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, color, or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching, or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma.
If you notice these warning signs, or anything NEW, CHANGING or UNUSUAL on your skin use the buttons below to contact Granville Primary Care to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider.
