Skin cancer is the most common cancer type in the US, and that has it dramatic in the last 50 years. Melanoma, the deadliest form, is expected to increase by 6% in 2025, and the incidence of melanoma in people younger than 30, especially women, increases faster than in any other age group.
Excessive sun exposure is the main cause of skin cancer, which is why it usually occurs on the face, scalp, ears, neck, upper chest and hands. “These are the areas that get the most cumulative sun exposure about the life of a person,” says Dr. David C. Reid, professor and chairman of Dermatology of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
But skin cancer can also develop in areas that are not regularly exposed to the sun, including the palms, soles of the feet, genitals, buttocks, eyelids, in the skin under the nails and in the mouth or nose.
People are often surprised that certain parts of the body they think they are being protected against the sun – such as the scalp and the top of the feet – still get a significant exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, Dr. Kathleen Suzzi, surgical dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center. But, she says: “Although UV radiation is the main cause of most skin cancer, this is not the only factor.”
What causes even more skin cancer next to the sun?
Genetic factors, immunosuppression (especially for those who have had organ transplants) and chronic inflammation can all increase the risk of a person. This also applies to injuries; Skin cancer can develop in earlier injured areas, such as wounds or scars, without sun exposure, says Reid.
Professional exposure to certain types of chemicals – such as found by firefighters and industrial employees – can also increase the risk of developing skin cancer, he adds.
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Viruses, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), are a common cause of genital skin cancer on the vulva, vagina, anus and penis. “HPV is a much common virus – and it is not only sexually transmitted,” says Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Chief Medical Officer at the Skin Health Company Joya. It can also spread through non-sexual contact with infected skin.
And entering indoors makes an important contribution to skin cancer. Experts to believe That the increased popularity of tanning beds and artificial solar lamps is an important reason why melanoma stands up among young people. People who are tanned indoors at any time in their lives have a 29% higher risk of developing basal cell carcinoma and an 83% increases the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma compared to people who have never done that, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
The three most important types of skin cancer and where they are found
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and it is usually related to exposure to chronic sun. That is why it is often found on the face (including the nose, lips and cheeks), ears and neck, says Dr. Susan Massick, associated clinical professor dermatology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Although it is “not particularly aggressive, it can become more problematic if it is ignored, untreated or allowed to claim.”
Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common species, and it is usually found on the face, ears, neck, lips and backs of the hands, although it can appear anywhere on the body. “Squamous cell carcinoma is in favor of areas exposed to sun, but can also occur in scars, chronic ulcers or viruses, in sun -protected areas,” says Reid. Although it can be treated very much when it is identified at an early stage, squamous cell carcinoma can spread to surrounding tissues if it is not tackled.
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Melanoma, the third most common type of skin cancer, also tends to act in areas exposed to the sun, in particular on the chest, torso and back in men and legs in women, Rossi notes. But it can also develop in non-Sun-blot areas such as the mucous membranes in the nose and mouth and the eye, says Massick. It is the deadliest form of skin cancer because it can spread to other parts of the body if it is not detected and treated early.
How you can prevent skin cancer
Given the connections between skin cancer and sun exposure, it is important to use a wide -spectrum sunscreen on your skin with an SPF of 30 or higher on a daily basis during the year. When you spend time outside, apply for the sunscreen every two hours and you have to apply enough: the quantity must fill an on -board glass for the entire body, plus two to three fingertips worth on the face and neck, says Rossi.
When you spend long periods outdoors, the Skin Cancer Foundation also recommends wearing upf-protective clothing, including hats with a wide edge and sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB light.
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Use these strategies when you also drive, because UvA penetrates through window glass, says Rossi. Maybe you even want to wear driving gloves to protect the skin on your hands.
“It is also useful to check the daily UV indexIt is included in the weather apps of smartphone, “says Reid.” A score of 3 or higher means that it is time to take precautions “such as the search for shadow during the afternoon hours.
Always send away from Zonnebanken, advises Suozzi and avoid UV exposure at Gelmanicures.
How to spot possible signs of skin cancer
The key is to do monthly self-examination, make a joint effort to view the skin all over your body, including on your back, scalp and genital areas. (You may want to use the help of a partner for this difficult to see areas or strategic mirrors.)
Keep in mind: “If you have light -colored hair, red hair or thinning hair, it doesn’t offer that much photo protection,” says Rossi. That is why it is important to constantly separate the hair during the skin controls, so that you can see as much as possible from your scalp.
And don’t forget to examine your nails and the bottom of your feet, says Reid. A subtype skin cancer called Acral Lentiginous melanoma appears the tendency to appear on the palms, soles of the feet or under the nails, “and it is more common in people with dark skin tones.”
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Many people have heard of the ABCDEs for identifying presumably melanoma In mole or pigmented places: A is for asymmetry (which means that one half looks different than the other), B is for the edge (the place has an irregular or poorly defined edge), C is for color (which means that the place has color variations, such as shades, brown, white, white, red, the red or blue), the red, the red or blue), the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red, the red or blue, the red or blue red or blue), the red, red, red, red, red, red, reds, red, red, red, red, red, reds, red or blue red or red or red, red or blue red way). Pencil, what evolving, what evolving, what evolving, what kind of pencil is, what evolving, what evolving is, what evolving, what evolving, what kind, is for a pencil.
The warning signals are different for other forms of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma can look like a pearl -like bump, a painful one who doesn’t heal, or a pink, flaky patch, says Massick. “Pavement cell carcinoma can also appear as a pink, flaky patch, a wart-like growth or a rough, thickened skin area that bleeds, crusts or crusts” and does not heal.
If you develop one of these skin signs and hold them for a few months, consult a dermatologist. “It’s not just moles – any persistent skin change should increase the suspicion,” says Suozzi.
In general, it is wise to see a dermatologist once a year for a skin control of the whole body, says Rossi. Your doctor can then do a biopsy of something unusual and send it to a laboratory to diagnose or exclude cancer. The key is to catch any abnormal places – where they occur.
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