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Melanoma Monday: Tips to prevent skin cancer
1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer. With early detection being key, the most powerful tool is you.
It’s Melanoma Monday—the start of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
There's a five-minute life-saving process you can do at home.
It happened so fast.
"He was diagnosed in September and passed away that following March."
Craig Harrington
Ann Harrington's brother, Craig, passed away of stage four melanoma at the age of 42.
"It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, how old you are, your skin tone. It's so much more than any of these. It's something everyone needs to think about," she said.
Doctors remind us there's more than one way to prevent skin cancer.
"Sunscreen in my view is a backup plan. Our UV protection plan should include avoiding the midday sun, so keeping our outdoor activities to the early morning and evening and seeking shade when we can," said Dr. Apple Bodemer, a UW Health dermatologist.
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1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer. With early detection being key, the most powerful tool is you.
"Whether you have a history or not, it’s a good idea to spend 3-5 minutes looking at your skin," said Dr. Bodemer. "And that doesn’t mean getting stressed out or worried and ‘oh my gosh how will I know what I’m looking for?’ Its just to get you in that habit because if you’re doing that regularly, you’ll get a gut sense of what’s normal for your skin."
Taking just a few minutes each month can give you the gift of more time.
For more information on all types of skin cancer, visit skincancer.org