May is Melanoma Awareness Month
If you're like us, you had a blast frolicking in the spring sun this weekend -- but you didn't love coming home with your first ever-so-mild sunburn of the year. Oops!
Perhaps it's no coincidence then that the first Monday in May is known as Melanoma Monday (and the month of May is Melanoma Awareness Month).
Melanoma Awareness Month is an an effort by the American Academy of Dermatology to raise awareness about the deadliest form of skin cancer -- and remind us that early detection is crucial.
Read on for a few more melanoma prevention tips:
Detect and reflect: Grab this cute, awareness-raising bracelet for only $5, and make sure to wear it frequently -- the light pink band turns to dark pink/purple when exposed to harmful UV rays. Safe and stylish!
Screen regularly: Visit your derm for a full-body screening at least once a year and follow her advice carefully, whether she suggests you have photos taken of suspicious moles or asks you to come back in just a few months. Better safe than sorry!
Slather it on: Use sunscreen every day, cloudy or bright, with at least SPF 30. If you'll be in direct sunlight, apply and reapply a broad-spectrum SPF that blocks both UVA and UVB rays, every 3-4 hours (even more frequently if you're in the water!).
Check yourself: Scan your own moles and freckles every 1-2 months. "If a mole has been changing in size, shape or color, it needs to be checked right away," says dermatologist and melanoma survivor Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi. "Skin cancer detection is best done as a team between you and your dermatologist."
For a whole month's worth of great tips and information, check out melanomamonday.org.
The physicians at Pacific Dermatology & Cosmetic Center have years of experience in diagnosing and treating skin cancer; if you've yet to come in for your first skin check or you're seasoned at looking for spots and find something suspicious. Call us today and schedule an appointment, you will be seen within 48 hours, its best to be proactive, you can prevent a life-altering event.
