So winter hasn’t exactly given us those snow and ice days that some of us had hoped for this year. In fact, it’s actually been unusually warm and nice outside. This means long walks on Lakeside Drive, even longer days at Katy Trail Ice House and maybe even some well-deserved time in our bathing suits at the tanning pool (for those of you who are especially ambitious). However, with all this sun exposure comes unexpected sun damage.
What most of us fail to realize, is that even on those days when it’s overcast and we can’t imagine even a ray of sun breaking through, our skin continues to absorb the harmful UVA rays that penetrate the multiple layers of our skin. UVA rays are much more prevalent than UVB rays, and are the ones responsible for aging, wrinkling and were recently proven to contribute to and possible even initiate the development of skin cancers.
Knowing this, a skin cancer-conscious collegiette should also be aware of what to look for that might indicate skin cancer. Since we can’t all fit a dermatologist visit into our busy schedules every month, we need to be monitoring our skin ourselves.
This chart shows exactly the types of moles and pigment differentiations that you should keep an eye on if you see them. Something that looks as small as one of these “freckles” could actually be a sign of a much big skin cancer. Think of it like an iceberg. From the top, it doesn’t look that big or harmful. However, there may very well be a much bigger problem lurking below the surface, and that is reason enough to keep track of any new or changing discolorations of the skin.
Since I know we’ve all heard it a million times, I’m not going to belabor the point of preventative care. We all know to stay out of tanning beds, wear sunscreen and that blistering sunburns are the worst thing you could allow to happen to your body. For some of us, skin cancer will be inevitable, no matter how much sunscreen we put on throughout our lives. However, diligence in practicing preventive care will undoubtedly make a different for most of us. Continue taking long walks in the hot sun and enjoying your day at the beach, but remember to take all necessary precautions before choosing the golden tan over the risk of cancer.