Sunscreen and proper sun care save lives! It may sound dramatic, but with Melanoma Awareness Month 2023 days away, how aware are you? Most people know that UV light from the sun causes age spots and sun damage, but did you know it is also potentially fatal? If you are not confident in your knowledge about skin cancer, who is affected, where it appears, and when, now is the time to arm yourself with the facts.

Why Skin Cancer Awareness Is Important
Skin cancer is the most visible and preventable cancer, and with early detection, most skin cancers can be cured. Unfortunately, about 3.5 million Americans are diagnosed with basal and squamous cell skin cancer annually, making skin cancer the most common form in the U.S. today. According to skincancer.org, it affects more people than breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer combined, with one-in-five Americans expected to develop skin cancer in their lifetime. While all skin cancers can cause problems if not treated, melanoma is the most dangerous. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it accounted for 197,700 new cases of skin cancer, a rate that has been rising for many decades, especially amongst younger people.

What skin cancer is the most deadly? Melanoma develops in pigment-producing melanocytes and can rapidly and aggressively spread to the lymph nodes, organs, and other parts of the body, making it more deadly than other forms. In 2022, melanoma was responsible for about 8,000 deaths, a statistic that should not and must not be ignored.Prevention and early detection are crucial for everyone’s survival. While Caucasians and men are more affected, no one is immune.

Skin Cancer Symptoms
Unsure how skin cancer looks? Symptoms vary according to the type and progression of the skin cancer, with the most common areas being those exposed to the sun, such as the face, head, neck, chest, hands, and arms. But skin cancer may occur anywhere you have skin, which is why head-to-toe checks are recommended. Melanoma can even appear under the nails, on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and less commonly the eyes, mouth, genital, or anal area. To help catch skin cancer early, look out for these symptoms:

• Unusual skin growth, bump, or sore that doesn’t heal in a timely manner
• Changes in the color or size of a growth or mole
• Pigmentation spreading past the edge of a mark or mole
• Pale or reddish scaly patch that persists
• Flesh-colored or brownish lesion failing to go away
• Smooth, waxy translucent bump with or without visible blood vessels and an indented center
• Scaling, bleeding, oozing, or crusty texture
• Firm lump on the skin that may be rough
• Itchiness, tenderness, or pain

Symptoms Unique To Melanoma
Melanoma tumors are usually brown or black but can be pink, tan, or white. They are likely to start on the chest and back in men and the legs in women. As with other skin cancers, the neck and face are common sites. Yet, those with darkly pigmented skin have a lower risk of melanoma at the more common locations. Tied to this, skin cancer in darker skin types often goes undetected until it has reached a more advanced stage with a worse prognosis. If your growth or mole is symmetrical, less than 1/4” in diameter, a single color, and has smooth, even borders, chances are it is benign. However, consult a physician to be sure. On the other hand, lesions that grow rapidly are considered suspicious and can point to developing melanoma. This ABCDE rule characterizes and helps identify melanomas:

• A = Asymmetry - Irregularly shaped moles with different-looking halves
• B = Border - Blurred, scalloped, notched, or rough edges
• C = Color - Changes in the shade or distribution of color throughout a mole
• D = Diameter - If larger than ¼”, get it checked out. (Note: Some melanomas are smaller)
• E = Evolving - When a mole changes in size, shape, color, elevation, or other symptoms

Other Melanoma Facts

• Five or more sunburns doubles a person’s risk for melanoma
• Tanning bed use increases the chance of melanoma by up to 75%
• Regular use of SPF15+ in an Australian study over five years reduced the incidence of new melanomas up to 10 years afterward
• Among 25-39-year-olds, breast cancer and melanoma are the most common forms of cancer, a trend scientists blame on increased tanning bed use amongst this group

Who Is Most At Risk
While everyone is vulnerable to skin cancer, those with the following risk factors must be hypervigilant about prevention and detection:

• Excess UV exposure and severe sunburns in past
• Fair skin, freckling, blond or red hair, and light eyes
• A personal or family history of skin and breast cancer
• Multiple (50-100+) or unusual moles
• Weak immune system
• Advanced age

So, can skin cancer be inherited? No. However, if you inherited red hair from one of your parents, you have a two-to-four-fold increased risk of melanoma. This is due to an ineffective protective response, mutations in a protein associated with red hair (MC1R) that regulates pigment production.

How Skin Cancer Is Detected
Wondering who checks skin cancer? A skin cancer diagnosis is best left to physicians. However, estheticians and spas can play a role in skin cancer awareness. Skin and massage therapists often see their clients more than their doctor does and can encourage them to get checked if something looks suspicious. New diagnostic tools such as the Molesafe Skin Surveillance Program and MelaFind help aid mole mapping, melanoma identification, and more.

Skin Cancer Prevention
Tell anyone who will listen that there is no such thing as a healthy base tan and that tanning beds are a no-no. UV Light is UV Light, regardless of the source. The FDA labels tanning beds as harmful medical devices, and the World Health Organization classifies them as cancer-causing, with France, Germany, Austria, Finland, Britain, England, and Wales banning indoor tanning for minors, with Brazil prohibiting their use entirely. Enough said. Here are some practical and potentially life-saving tips to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy:

• Be sun smart! Limit exposure to the sun, especially at peak times.
• Make sure to use sunscreen daily and re-apply every two hours. Pevonia offers two ocean safe sunscreen formulas: a multi-tasking tinted cream featuring Collagen and Sea Whip to moisturize, calm, and conceal imperfections, plus a highly effective broad spectrum UVA/UVB moisturizing sunscreen with SPF 40 and blue light protection for a comprehensive approach.
• If you favor a tan look, check out sunless tanning and bronzing options: lotions, mousses, towelettes, buffing and applicator mitts, powders, professional airbrush spray tans, or hand-applied tanning services. For situations where the sun can’t be avoided, and shade is nowhere in sight, invest in an umbrella and don a wide-brimmed hat, large quality UV-protecting sunglasses, and dark or UV-protective clothing that features a UPF rating to protect your skin.
• If sunburn occurs, apply our After Sun Soothing Gel to reduce redness and irritation, plus help stop damage on its tracks!
• Get annual cancer checks and perform monthly self-checks at home for any new or unusual growths or changes in moles, looking under the nails, too! Document patterns, sizes, and colors of moles or marks. If you notice something that “doesn’t look right” on a friend or loved one, don’t be afraid to speak up - you could be their lifesaver.

Skin Cancer Treatment
Can skin cancer be treated? Absolutely! First, physicians will remove a small section of suspicious skin to be tested. If a biopsy comes back positive for cancer, treatment will vary based on the type and stage of the skin cancer. Additional tests or procedures may be ordered, or if in early stages, the skin cancer may be frozen with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery) or removed (excised). Other treatments may include Mohs surgery, biological therapy, topical chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and radiation therapy, amongst others. Your physician will explain the details about the best treatment option for you.

If you have symptoms you are concerned about, visit a doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible. Then, to care for sun-damaged skin, visit Find A Spa for an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and these professional spa therapies: Pevonia’s Micro-Retinol® Essential Peel, Lumafirm® Lift & Glow Treatment, Stem Cells Phyto-Elite® Freeze-Dried Treatment, Lacto-Flora Peel, Luminous “C” & “Sea”® Treatment, and Hydra-Cloud™ Mask Treatment.