Sun SafetyA lesson from Nurse Danielle

Skin Cancer Stats

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Approximately 75 % of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.

Melanoma in children is extremely rare, but…from 1973 to 2009, the rate of melanoma increased by ~2% a year among Caucasian children from newborn to age 19 in the US.

Types of Skin Cancer

There are 3 types of skin cancer:

1. Basal Cell Carcinoma

2. Squamous Cell Carcinoma

3. Melanoma *MOST SERIOUS* (less common)

Melanoma

UV light is a major contributor from the sun, tanning beds and sun lamps.

More people are getting melanoma.

Melanoma is now the most common cancer among people 25-29 years old.

TEENAGERS ARE GETTING Melanoma.

Research shows that indoor tanning increases a person’s melanoma risk by 75%.

Heredity plays a role.

The ABCDE’s of Melanoma:

Asymmetry: one half doesn’t match the other

Border: edges are not even

Color: changes in color and/or shade of color

Diameter: size gets larger or larger around than 6mm, which is the size of a pencil eraser

Evolution: changing over time

Check Your Skin, Freckles, and Moles For Changes:

Did You Know?

Skin is the largest organ in your body.

A tan is actually damage to your skin.

The more time you spend in the sun, the more you are damaging your skin.

You get sun exposure on cloudy days, and you can still sunburn.

Your eyes can be damaged by the sun.

Did You Know?

Clothes do not fully protect you from the sun.

The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause pre-mature aging and skin cancer.

The number of young adults and teens developing skin cancer is on the rise.

What Can I Do To Protect Myself? Avoid peak hours when the sun’s UV rays are most harmful

(10 AM to 4 PM).

Stay in the shade; use an umbrella.

USE sunscreen of at least SPF 30.

Wear a hat.

What Can I Do To Protect Myself? Wear UV protective sunglasses.

Wear tightly-woven cover-up clothing.

NO tanning beds or sunlamps.

Check UV, heat, and air quality indexes

(get an iphone/ipad APP)

Drink plenty of water.

Sun Safety Quizzes http://

www.cancer.org/healthy/toolsandcalculators/quizzes/sun-safety/index QUIZ #1 (Do as a class)

QUIZ #2.

1) What are two risk factors for getting skin cancer?

2) Name two ways you can protect your skin while in the sun?

3) Name what the letters A, B, C, D and E mean for assessing skin changes?

4) True or False: Lung Cancer is the most common form of Cancer in the United States?

5) True or False: A suncreen with an SPF 15 is the best choice while in the sun?

References

https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/m---p/melanoma/who-gets-causes

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/

http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-key-statistics

Have Fun in the Sun, and Stay Healthy and Young!