Every year, more than 96000 patients are diagnosed with skin cancer or melanoma. Skin cancer of this type causes the greatest amount of death. Nearly 7,000 patients die of melanoma. One of the leading dermatologists reported that more than three million patients are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer per year. The non-melanoma skin cancers are either basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma.
Research says that saving your skin in your first 18 years can decrease the chances of some kinds of skin cancer by up to 75%. Vitamin D is highly effective in preventing skin cancer. Our skin synthesizes vitamin D from sunlight. You have to just take brief exposure to sunlight for 15 minutes a day, three to four days per week.
Your skin specialist doctor may give you a vitamin D test; if your vitamin D level is low, he prescribes vitamin D supplements and a bit of sun exposure weekly.
Risk Factors Include:
Patients with some risk factors are prone to develop skin cancer. Some general risk factors include:
- Fair skin complexion
- Genetic history of skin cancer
- Personal history of skin cancer
- Long-term exposure to the sun for work
- An account of sunburn and sun damage in early life
- Having indoor tanning
- Skin with burning, freckles, redness
- Grey, green or blue eyes
- Light brown or red hair
- The presence of many moles on your body
- History of Skin cancer treatment with radiation
Too much exposure to UV rays causes skin cancer. UV rays come from the sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds and damage our skin cells. The sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps can reduce the risk of skin cancer.
How to protect your skin from skin cancer
Follow Sun Safety
You have to protect your skin from harmful UV rays throughout the year, not only in summer. UV rays can affect your skin in winter and cloudy days too. They have the capacity to reflect off of surfaces like sand, snow, cement, and water. In our state, UV rays are strong from 10 am to 4 pm.
If the UV ray strength according to the UV index external icon is 3 or more than 3 in your area, then avoid sun exposure or cover your skin from sunlight. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), the skin should be protected from UV rays with an index of three or more that. Some easy ways you can apply to protect your skin include:
- Keep yourself in the shade
- Wear full sleeves clothing that completely covers your hand
- Wear cotton trousers to cover your legs
- Wear a hat with wide bean to shade your face, ears, head, and neck
- Wear sunglasses to block UVA and UVB rays
- Use SPF+ broad-spectrum sunscreen before going outside
Avoid indoor tanning
Indoor tanning is very harmful to your skin, UV ray directly affects your skin. So, you must avoid tanning bed, sunbed, sun lamp, tanning booth to protect your skin from UV damage. Too much exposure to UV rays may cause cataracts, skin cancers, and eye cancer. Tanning does not refer to good health. It is not a positive sign, and when the inner layer absorbs UV rays, the skin starts producing more melanin. Melanin pigments are responsible for skin color. It comes towards the outer layer of the skin and makes it visible as tan. Any alteration in the skin color after UV exposure is a symptom of injury, and it is not considered a health issue.
How does indoor tanning increase the risk of skin cancer?
Indoor tanning radiates an intense level of UV rays, and it is one of the big reasons for skin cancer.
Indoor tanning does not protect your skin from sunburn. This is a base tan, usually a sign of skin damage
It may cause serious injury, including tanning accidents and burns. It is widespread, and more than 2000 patients reach the emergency room per year.
If you are suffering from skin-related problems, observe abnormal moles or lesions on your skin, then take consultation from a leading dermatologist of the best hospital in Dubai. They will diagnose your moles and check whether it is carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic. Then offer treatment according to the requirement.
