May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. At Vibrance, we help you to make sure your skin looks good, with medical-grade facials and professional home-care products, but we also want to make sure your skin remains healthy and cancer-free. May is a great time to remind you to pay attention to the health of your skin, not only on your face, but the rest of your body as well. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., but it is one of the easiest to prevent and treat, especially with early detection.
Annual Skin Check
It is important to have an annual skin care check with a dermatologist. A certified dermatologist will assess your skin and any blemishes, moles and lesions that appear to be suspicious for cancer or pre-cancerous cells. The evaluation should include the skin on your entire body, including the soles of your hands and feet, and even your scalp.
The most common types of skin cancer include basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma, which is the most aggressive and fatal form. Your dermatologist can perform a scraping and/or biopsy of any suspicious spots and if needed, treatment can include removing the lesion via freezing or surgery. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer are critically important.
Protect Your Skin with Sunscreen
Another key component of skin care health is protecting your skin from the sun. Minimizing sun exposure is an important step in preventing skin cancer from starting and it helps slow down the aging process, too. When outside during the day, keep your skin covered with light-weight clothing and wear a hat to help cover the skin on your face. Wearing sunscreen is another way to cover and protect your skin. Sunscreens are labeled with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF), and it is suggested that a sunscreen with an SPF in the range of 30 to 50 is the most effective in protecting from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
