Skin Cancer Prevention Tips for Young People
Written by Melissa Schenkman, MPH, MSJ
How often is your skin exposed to the sun?
Whether you're specifically working on your tan while sitting out at a beach or just playing your favorite sport outdoors and simply driving in your car to run errands, your skin is coming into contact with the sun’s strong rays.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than two people die of skin cancer every hour.
If you have sustained five or more sunburns, it increases your risk for melanoma, yet, when detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99%.
Given how many of us in our 20s, 30s, and 40s spend time out in the sun, increasing our risk for skin cancers, YMyHealth talked with Tiffany Libby, MD, a fellow millennial and the Director of Mohs Micrographic and Dermatologic Surgery at Brown Dermatology, a clinical practice of Brown University. She shared with us what our risk factors for skin cancer, skin cancer protection strategies, and more.
“Skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide,” Libby said. “Prevention is key with employing multiple levels of sun protection from proper sunscreen use, UV protective clothing, and avoidance strategies.”
Understanding Skin Cancer
The Different Types of Skin Cancer
There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most serious, given its potential to spread to other areas of the body and can even advance to the point of being deadly.
Each type has a preference for developing in certain areas of the body and is known by specific characteristics in its appearance.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Develops in sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your neck or face.
Appears as a pearly or waxy bump, flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion, or a bleeding or scabbing sore that heals and returns.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Develops in sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your face, ears and
hands.
More likely to develop in areas that aren’t often exposed to the sun in people with darker skin.
Appears as a firm, red nodule or a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.
Melanoma
It can develop anywhere on your body, in otherwise normal skin or in an existing mole that becomes cancerous.
In men: it most often appears on the face or the trunk.
In women: it most often develops on the lower legs.
Melanoma’s appearance/signs can include:
A large brownish spot with darker speckles
A mole that changes in color, size or feel, or that bleeds
A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, pink, white, blue, or blue-black
A painful lesion that itches or burns
Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus
How Skin Cancer Develops
Skin cancer is caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, which damage skin cells. With each exposure, the skin skills become more and more damaged, leading to changes in our skin’s texture, premature aging of our skin, and in some cases, skin cancer.
Ultraviolet rays can come from the sun directly or from exposure to sun lamps or tanning beds.
Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist, who is the Director of Mohs Micrographic and Dermatologic Surgery at Brown Dermatology in Providence, Rhode Island. The practice is based out of the Department of Dermatology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where Libby is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology.
Why Younger Generations Are Particularly at Risk
People who are in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are more likely to spend time in the sun without proper protection and to use tanning beds, both of which can increase their risk of developing skin cancer.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer rates have been continually increasing in people under the age of 50.
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is actually one of the most common cancers in young adults. In fact, since the 1970s, the number of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma has increased by 800% among young women and 400% among young men.
While skin cancer is highly treatable when caught early, many millennials are not taking the necessary precautions to protect their skin and detect signs of cancer.
Risk Factors
The main risks for skin cancer, Libby told us, come from excessive exposure to UV light from the sun and artificial sources of UV light, like indoor tanning beds.
There are also lifestyle habits that can factor into your skin cancer risk. Smoking increases the risk of squamous cell cancer, especially on the lips. Also, if you work in an industry where you are exposed to compounds with coal and arsenic, it increases your risk of skin cancer.
“One in 5 Americans will get skin cancer by the age of 70, but there are several risk factors like family history of skin cancer, lighter skin types, numerous moles (>50) or atypical moles may put you at higher risk,” Libby said.
To take a closer look at who these individuals are and for you to learn if you might be one of them, Libby shared her detailed list of who is at a higher risk of skin cancer and who she would recommend considering seeking a full-body skin examination by a board-certified dermatologist if they have not already.
High-risk individuals are those that:
Individuals with a family history of skin cancer: If you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) who has had skin cancer, your risk may be higher.
Fair-skinned individuals: People with fair skin, freckles, red or blond hair, and light-colored eyes are more susceptible to skin damage from UV radiation.
People with a history of sunburns: a single blistering sunburn or five or more sunburns, especially during childhood or adolescence, increase the risk of skin cancer.
Those with many moles or atypical moles: Having numerous moles or moles with irregular characteristics can elevate the risk of melanoma.
Individuals with a personal history of skin cancer: If you’ve had skin cancer before, you have an increased risk of developing additional skin cancers in the future.
Occupational exposure — those with jobs that involve prolonged sun exposure put individuals at higher risk. For example, pilots or those who spend most of the day working outside in the sun.
People with weakened immune systems. Immunosuppressed individuals may have a higher risk of developing certain types of skin cancer.
Sun Protection Strategies
Sunscreen Basics
When it comes to sunscreen, Libby told us: “The best sunscreen is one that is used properly and consistently.”
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends looking for three key claims in an effective sunscreen — SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum coverage against UVA and UVB radiation, and water resistance, she shared. You can find all of these labels on the front of the sunscreen bottle. How much and how often should you apply it?
“Sunscreen should be applied every two hours, and more frequently, if sweating or swimming. Apply two finger lengths worth for the face and a shot glass worth for the body,” Libby said.
Understanding UV Radiation and Its Effects
UV Radiation is beneficial to our bodies because it is essential in the production of Vitamin D–a key player in increasing calcium absorption from food, which is crucial for bone formation and our bodi’s defense system against illnesses. However, limited exposure to UV radiation of 5-15 minutes, 2-3 times per week, is enough to keep your Vitamin D levels high.
Our skin tends to get far more exposure to UV Radiation than that, which is where our risk for skin cancer comes in. The dark-colored pigment, melanin, that you see on your skin after exposure to UV radiation, acts as a shield against further damage. The more times you expose your skin to UV Radiation and for longer periods of time, that shield can no longer protect your skin, and the exposure can damage your skin to the point of making your skin cells cancerous.
Aside from skin cancer, UV radiation affects the skin by causing it to age. UV B radiation stimulates lots of cells to grow in the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), making your skin thicker and UV A radiation affects the deeper layers of the skin, disrupting the connectivity of your tissue and gradually causing a loss of elasticity, also known as wrinkles and sags.
Wearing Protective Clothing
Libby recommends that you wear sun-protective clothing like Ultraviolet Protective Factor (UPF) clothing, sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hats to protect your scalp, face, and neck. The higher the UPF number, the more it protects you from the sun.
Other strategies for protection from the sun include being cautious of reflective surfaces and high altitudes and seeking shade during peak sun hours. The American Cancer Society recommends doing a shadow test to see when the sun is strongest. When your shadow is shorter than you are, that means the sun is high, and you should seek shade.
Developing Healthy Habits
Conduct Regular Self-Exams
By looking at your skin from head to toe on a regular basis, you will get to know the moles, blemishes, freckles, and birthmarks that are normal for you so that you can more easily identify any changes to your skin and what’s out of the norm.
For an excellent step-by-step guide on how to do a skin self-exam, click here.
Recognize the Warning Signs and Changes in Moles or Skin
To detect changes in a mole that may be a sign of skin cancer, remember ABCDE.
A is for asymmetrical shape. One half of the mole is unlike the other half.
B is for border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders.
C is for color. Look for growths that have changed color, show multiple colors or have uneven color.
D is for diameter. Look for new growth in a mole larger than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters).
E is for evolving. Watch for moles that change in size, shape, color, or height. Moles may also evolve to develop new signs and symptoms, such as feeling itchy or bleeding.
A cancerous mole may not show all of these characteristics but must show at least one of them.
Regular Visits to the Dermatologist for Check-Ups
The United States Preventive Services Task Force states there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine full-body skin cancer screenings for people who do not have suspicious moles or other spots or a history of skin cancer.
“However, for those who are at higher risk, full-body skin screenings and examinations by a board-certified dermatologist are recommended,” Libby said.
Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices in Skin Cancer Prevention
In addition to decreasing exposure to UV light, protecting your skin and having a skin cancer screening, making healthy choices a part of your lifestyle may prevent you from getting skin and other cancers. Healthy lifestyle choices that can lower your skin cancer risk include eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, reducing the stress in your life, and not smoking.
Conclusion
Spending time outdoors in the sunshine with our friends and family is fun and a source of lifelong memories for many of us. But increasing our risk of skin cancer is not something we want to take with us.
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