Health Care Quarterly:

Keep your skin safe all year long

A mid promising statistics surrounding other cancers, the number of skin cancer diagnoses continues to rise by 2% to 4% annually.

Numbers-wise and according to the American Cancer Society’s 2019 Facts and Statistics report, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. In total, more than 5 million cases are diagnosed annually.

With skin cancer being the most preventable of cancers, why is this so?

Simply put, people are not protecting their skin as they should. Unfortunately, there are also a number of incredibly harmful trends that catch on and highly publicized, questionable studies that make headlines and stir confusion.

One trend is sunburn tattoos, where people put stencils on their skin and lay in the sun without any sunscreen to get a tan that shows off the stencil.

A study from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released in May triggered a knee-jerk reaction leading people to question the very safety of sunscreen. The study found that active ingredients in different sunscreens may enter the bloodstream at levels that exceed a recommended threshold.

The notion is not a new one and a report from NBC noted that the FDA is requesting more data.

Many products we use can be absorbed by the body. That includes cosmetics, mouthwash, toothpaste, detergent, clothing — the list goes on. These products have been thoroughly tested and are integral to everyday life. They contain absorbable components but have very few, if any, substantially identified issues.

Additionally, when it comes to sunscreen and reapplying properly, it remains the absolute best, proven option in protecting your skin from prospective harm.

Skin-safe year round

As the dog days of summer come to a close and temps begin to fall, skin safety measures remain equally as important.

Before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m. are the optimal daily times for outdoor activity, as harmful UV rays peak in the middle of the day. Points to remember:

Ball caps don’t protect your ears, back of the neck, or side of the face.

Remember to apply sunscreen to your feet, lips, hands, and under straps.

When possible, wear wide brimmed hats, sunglasses and long-sleeve shirts to protect your skin.

Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher regularly.

Forget your sunscreen?

Comprehensive Cancer Centers has been active with free sunscreen initiatives for several years. We are committed to establishing sunscreen partnerships that aim to preserve the health and well-being of the Las Vegas community. Our goal is to use a proactive approach in preventing unnecessary skin conditions.

We have established sunscreen partnerships with the following partners: Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas, Las Vegas Aviators, UNLV football, Las Vegas Lights FC, Nevada Cancer Coalition, Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Downtown Summerlin, Cowabunga Bay and the Cadence master-planned community.

We also established a partnership with Clark County Parks and Recreation to offer free sunscreen kiosks at facilities around Southern Nevada. Additionally, we work with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada on its annual Summer Heat campaign, donating free sunscreen.

We also have a long-standing partnership with the Penta Building Group, providing free sunscreen and skin safety tips for construction workers throughout Las Vegas and California.

Treating skin conditions

If and when a condition arises, there is help and skin cancer is very curable. In recent years, there has been incredible progress in surgeries, treatments and technologies to remove skin cancers. To maximize the chance for a full recovery, catching skin cancer early is key — ideally when a spot is less than the size of a quarter.

Amid the technology and research, one fact remains: Your best chance of mitigating a potential skin cancer diagnosis is to continue wearing sunscreen and stay sun smart.

Dr. Wolfram Samlowski is a medical oncologist at Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

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