If you find yourself desperate to go outside and bask in the sun these days, no one would blame you. The freedom and pleasure of being outside on a warm sunny day is a well-deserved treat given the year we’ve all had. What will not be a treat, however, is the UV exposure you may encounter if you’re not careful. Each year, over 5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the US and it’s become the most common (though one of the most preventable) forms of cancer in the country. Estimates are that 2 people die of skin cancer every hour and with the pandemic delaying screenings and dermatology follow-ups, rates of skin cancer are on the rise. 

With 3 different types of skin cancer (basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma), identifying and monitoring new spots and bumps on your skin, especially in areas that have been exposed to the sun, is an important way to catch problems early while they can be treated and potentially resolved. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, with lots of resources available to help you identify possible problems and seek out early help. It’s critical that you regularly conduct a self-exam, especially if you’ve had many sunburns in your past (according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, your risk of deadly melanoma doubles if you’d had more than 5 sunburns). In fact, by age 70, one out of five people have been diagnosed with some type of skin cancer. For helpful advice on how to assess what you see on your skin, take out your magnifying glass and look here and here.

You may be lulled into thinking because of your skin color or prior behavior, you’re not at risk- but you’d be wrong. Did you know, for example, that Jamaican musician Bob Marley died of malignant melanoma initially diagnosed on his foot? In support of Skin Cancer Awareness month, actress Kerry Washington produced a new documentary available online (Click here to watch this free film, “In The Sun”) that follows several people, young and old, of different races and ethnicities, all of whom have been touched by skin cancer diagnoses. The movie makes clear that invasive melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, has increased in prevalence by 54% over the past 10 years.

So, beyond a self-exam and regular check-ins with a dermatologist, what else can and should you do? In addition to making sure you use sufficient sunscreen all over your body every day (check out Consumer Reports advice about the Best Sunscreens of 2021 here), other preventive strategies include UPF clothing, sunhats, sunglasses, and photo documentation of any suspicious spots you see. And surprisingly, it is recommended that you review what you eat and the medications you take to determine if anything puts you at higher risk or can help reduce your risk. For example, recent research out of Canada has found an association between certain high blood pressure medications and an increased risk of skin cancer in adults over 65. Given that one in five adults takes anti-hypertensive medication, this is potentially a serious concern. For more on medications that may increase your sensitivity to the sun, click here. Other research has found a relationship between caffeinated coffee intake and a reduced risk of melanoma as well as a positive relationship between eating table grapes and reduced risk of ultraviolet photodamage in humans. Ultimately, your best strategy is to stay on top of any new spots or moles that emerge on your skin- and to check in with a dermatologist at the first sign of trouble. Need help finding a qualified dermatologist in your area? Put down your sunscreen and find one here.