May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month – Delivering Cures 4 Cancer
Summer is sneaking up on us, and so are our dreams of sunny, poolside days.
I know we’re all aching to leave our cramped living rooms, enjoy the sunshine, and maybe even get a tan. But before we do that, we need to make sure we take the proper safety precautions for our skin and health.
While it’s okay and even beneficial for our health to soak in the sunshine daily, Delivering Cures 4 Cancer (DC4C)—nonprofit cancer research foundation developing a cancer-killing nano-medicine and promoting a safer, more effective cancer treatment—believes it’s crucial that we take certain considerations and steps to protect our bodies.
The Dark Side of the Sun
May is Skin Cancer Awareness month, so it seems like a good time to equip ourselves with some important knowledge and tips on the topic.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world. In addition, they’ve found that:
- “1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.
- More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour.
- Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
- When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent.”
The more we learn about it, the more power we can have against it.
Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer can present itself in different forms. Some types include:
- Basal Cell Carcinoma – The most common skin cancer.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma – The second most common skin cancer.
- Actinic Keratosis – Precancer.
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma – Rare yet dangerous type of cancer.
- Melanoma – Critical/Dangerous cancer.
Visit your doctor or dermatologist if you are concerned, you may have skin cancer or to simply have a proactive check-up.
Skin Cancer Risks
The risks of skin cancer should be taken seriously and will cost you a lot more pain than itchy, sunburnt shoulders.
There are risk factors that can make you more prone or vulnerable to skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation defines the following as pertinent risks:
- Indoor tanning
- Sunburns
- Skin Type
- Unprotected exposure to UVA & UVB Rays
- Genetics
- Atypical moles
- Organ transplant
- Red hair
It’s essential to be aware of these risks so that signs are caught early on, and the cancer treatment can be effective.
DC4C’s 10 Tips: How You Can Prevent Skin Cancer
The hope for the fight against skin cancer is that there are many preventative measures we can take against it. We must be proactive and take better care of ourselves.
Here are 10 defenses Delivering Cures 4 Cancer (DC4C) and the Skin Cancer Foundation advises to use against the sun to provide you some shade against its harmful rays:
- Apply an SPF 15+, broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen daily to avoid sunburns. Use SPF 30+ if you are outside for an extended period of time.
- Wear clothing that can protect your skin, UV-protective sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hats.
- Opt for shade when possible, especially if you’re out between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Invest in window tinting in both your car and home to filter out UV rays.
- Book yearly skin exams with your physician or dermatologist.
- Check your skin each month (guidance for self-exams are found here).
- Aim for a balanced, healthy diet.
- Avoid both indoor and outdoor tanning.
- Lather 1 oz/2 tbsp. of sunscreen to your whole body approximately a half of an hour before going out in the sun. If swimming or sweating, reapply sunscreen after two hours.
- Protect newborns by keeping them out of the sun’s rays, and apply sunscreen to their skin once they’re 6 months old.
Skin cancer is not something to be taken lightly. If we are mindful and take care of our bodies, we can help decrease the risks of skin cancer for us and our loved ones.
Remember the S’s: Stay safe, seek shade, and lather up on that SPF.
Here at Delivering Cures for Cancer (DC4C), we are developing a cure to wage war against cancer. This cancer-killing nano-medicine targets cancer cells specifically, eliminating the side effects commonly associated with traditional chemotherapy.
This creates one of the most promising cancer treatments ever developed.
With recent breakthroughs in our cancer-killing nano-medicine, the Delivering Cures 4 Cancer (DC4C) team of experts are on their way to cure cancer by 2022.
To learn more about Delivering Cures 4 Cancer’s (DC4C) nano-medicine treatment, click here.
To donate to help cure cancer, click here.