10 Things You Don't Know About Melanoma
You may have heard of melanoma, but chances are also good that you don't know everything you need to stay safe --it's a tricky disease. Given that it's Skin Cancer Awareness Month, what better time to brush up on your knowledge? Many people associate melanoma with moles that go bad, especially in fair-skinned people who don't use sunscreen, but it's not quite that simple.
To learn more about who's at risk for melanoma and the surprising ways it can manifest, we spoke with Dr. Angela J. Lamb, M.D., assistant professor of Dermatology of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Read on for 10 things you probably didn't know about melanoma.
It's one of the most common cancers in young adults.
Melanoma may be the least common skin cancer, but according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it's the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25 to 29 and the second most common cancer for people aged 15 to 29. Experts believe this is a result of tanning bed use, says Lamb.
Melanoma may be the least common skin cancer, but according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it's the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25 to 29 and the second most common cancer for people aged 15 to 29. Experts believe this is a result of tanning bed use, says Lamb.
It affects people of all skin tones.
It's true that people with more pigment in their skin have a much lower risk of skin cancer because they have more protection from the sun, but that doesn't give them a free pass to skip sunscreen. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas -- the most common types of skin cancer and those most strongly linked to sun exposure -- rarely happen in people of color, and melanoma is also rare, but when it does happen, it's mostly on palms and soles, says Lamb.
It's true that people with more pigment in their skin have a much lower risk of skin cancer because they have more protection from the sun, but that doesn't give them a free pass to skip sunscreen. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas -- the most common types of skin cancer and those most strongly linked to sun exposure -- rarely happen in people of color, and melanoma is also rare, but when it does happen, it's mostly on palms and soles, says Lamb.
“I don't tweak my recommendations based on what the patient looks like,” says Lamb. “I tell everybody ‘wear sunscreen every day like it's your job, make it a daily regimen like brushing your teeth.'” She also tries to drive home sunscreen's anti-aging benefits for people who may not be sold on the cancer-prevention angle alone. In case you missed it: A 2013 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine proved thatdaily sunscreen use helps prevent premature aging caused by sun exposure, including wrinkles and dark spots. Score!
It may not develop in an existing mole.
“This idea that bad moles turn into melanoma, some pathologists believe that and some don't,” she says. “There are some who believe that you can have a bunch of moles and those will be fine, but you can get a melanoma in some other place.”
“This idea that bad moles turn into melanoma, some pathologists believe that and some don't,” she says. “There are some who believe that you can have a bunch of moles and those will be fine, but you can get a melanoma in some other place.”
Read the full article at the Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/14/melanoma-facts-skin-cancer_n_5289130.html
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