Benefits

See Spot…Check Spot…
Save a Life

by Kelly Lawson

Skin self-examination is an important tool for the early detection of skin cancer. It is by far the most common cancer in the world with more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

Most skin cancer is caused by too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, but manmade sources, such as tanning beds, can cause skin cancer. Too much sun over a long period also can cause prematurely aged skin, wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, dark patches and pre-cancerous skin changes.

Who Gets Skin Cancer?

Factors that can affect your risk for skin cancer include:

• Having fair or light skin color.
• Living in places with intense sunshine.
• Having skin that burns easily.
• Having light eyes and blond, red or light brown hair.
• Having a family history or personal history of skin cancer.
• Having an outdoor job.
• Having severe sunburns as a child.
• Taking medicines that lower your immunity or certain medications that increase your sensitivity to sunlight.
• Having an abundance of large and irregularly-shaped moles.

How Do I Protect Myself?

To help prevent skin cancer, follow these tips, even on cloudy or overcast days:

• Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater 30 minutes before sun exposure and then every few hours thereafter.
• Select cosmetic products and contact lenses that offer UV protection.
• Wear sunglasses with total UV protection.
• Avoid direct sun exposure as much as possible during peak UV radiation hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Cover up – slip on a shirt or slap on a hat.
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps.

Check your birthday suit on your birthday!

Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early. Visit the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Web site at www.melanomamonday.org to learn how to perform a skin self-exam and find free skin cancer screenings. A regular skin self-exam can help you become familiar with existing growths. See a doctor if you notice any changes or new growths.

Calvin Green, a general maintenance worker in Facilities Management at Melton Hill Campground, applies SPF 50 sunscreen before beginning work. “TVA provides sunscreen and hats with big brims to protect us from the sun,” Green says. “We also have tops on our mowing equipment and riding carts to keep the sun from bearing down. To protect our eyes, TVA provides safety sunglasses with UV protection. And we’re encouraged to drink lots of water and Gatorade. When you work in the hot sun as many hours as we do, these sure help.”