Beauty product reviews, makeup tips, skin care, beauty news & an occasional account of a day in the life of the beauty obsessed.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Is Skin Cancer Color Blind?
I'm packing my bags to head off to sunny South Beach, Miami.
Shades, check; Swimsuit, check; Sunscreen, CHECK!
Since skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, I make sure to use sunscreen/spf infused products liberally. Studies show that daily use of sunscreens can reduce your chances of developing some forms of skin cancer.
A few years ago, I noticed some discoloration and change in shape in a mole on my side. Since I learned about the various types of skin cancer in esthetics school, I was a bit worried. I had a biopsy and thank heavens, everything came back ok. But ever since, I make sure I protect my skin.
True or False: Fair skinned-people are the only ones subject to skin cancer resulting from damage from the sun?
False. Darker skin contains more melanin which is a natural skin protector factor (SPF) that helps keep the skin from burning. However, it only means that someone with a darker skin tone filters twice as much as someone with paler skin. It also means that the signs of skin cancer are harder to detect (irregularities in moles, abnomal growths on skin, etc.).
Skin cancer is a highly preventable disease, so why not do what you can to prevent it?
Regardless how light (or dark) your skin is, I urge you to use spf products regularly.
Please take a moment to read about signs and symptoms, etc and read this story Skin Cancer is Colorblind
When selecting a sunscreen, look for products with an SPF 15 or greater that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
Labels:
skin cancer,
spf,
sunscreen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Thanks for the reminder! I'll get my sunblock this week. Black don't crack but it does burn.
Post a Comment