Ways to Prevent Skin Cancer

As skin cancer awareness month – May – starts, here are some tips to avoid getting this disease.

“Nobody is immune to developing skin cancer,” said Katy Burris, MD, a dermatologistat the North Shore-LIJ Health System, explaining that whether people are pale or darker skinned does not change whether they can get skin cancer.

Dr. Burris said that people with lighter skin are more apt to get skin cancer though. People with darker skin are more likely to get melanomas, a form of skin cancer, in certain areas, such as under fingernails or toenails; on their hands and feet; and in the mouth.

“Everybody should be seeing their dermatologist at least once a year for a full skin check,” Dr. Burris said.

For people who don’t have a strong history of skin cancer or any atypical moles, 18 years old is a good age to start seeing a dermatologist, Dr. Burris says.

Some ways to prevent skin cancer include:

• Staying out of the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Wearing sunscreen between SPF 30 to 50 if you are on the beach.
• Using about a shot glass worth of sunscreen with each application.
• Applying sunscreen when you first get out of the shower, 20 minutes after you get into the sun and every 90 minutes thereafter.
• Re-applying sunscreen after you go into the water.
• Wear a hat.
• Use swim shirts with protects against the sun’s rays.

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