Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer across the United States. Fortunately, when it’s caught early, it’s treatable.
That’s why Rafael C. Cabrera, MD, FACS, and other skin health experts recognize Skin Cancer Awareness Month each May. During this month — and throughout the year — we want to help people understand how sun exposure impacts their skin. Knowing how ultraviolet (UV) rays harm your skin cells might motivate you to add some sun protection when you’re out in the Florida sun.
And if you do notice any areas that you think could indicate skin cancer, don’t wait to see our team at Plastic Surgery Specialists of Boca Raton. As a skin cancer specialist, Dr. Cabrera can assess your skin. If it is skin cancer, he has a variety of ways to treat it, tailoring the care he provides specifically to you.
Ideally, though, you would never need skin cancer treatment. That means protecting yourself from the sun. Here’s what you should know about sun exposure’s effects on your skin health.
As the sun shines on the Earth, it sends down ultraviolet rays. As that UV energy comes into contact with your skin, it disrupts your skin cell’s processes.
There are a few different types of UV light, categorized based on their wavelength. When it comes to your skin, the two you need to know about are ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB).
UVA rays affect the way your skin looks and feels. They speed up aging, causing your skin to wrinkle, lose elasticity, and even turn leathery.
UVB rays are even more dangerous. These rays can harm the genetic material in your skin, causing the abnormal cell growth that is skin cancer.
All told, the sun ages and damages your skin. The more you expose yourself to UV rays, the faster you look older and the greater your likelihood of developing skin cancer.
A variety of measures can help you defend yourself against UVA and UVB rays. Those include:
The sun’s rays are at their strongest between 10 am and 4 pm, so these protective measures are particularly important during that window.
To defend against skin cancer, you can thoroughly check all of your skin about once a month. Use a mirror to see all parts of your body.
If you notice anything unusual, like a spot of discoloration or a new bump, keep an eye on it. If it changes, and particularly if it grows, it warrants making an appointment to see Dr. Cabrera. He can check the spot and determine if it could be cancerous. If it is, he treats it.
The sooner you catch skin cancer, the easier it is to address. Don’t wait to set up a thorough skin check. Call Plastic Surgery Specialists of Boca Raton today.
