Melanoma Month - Week 1

We're one week into Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which I have just renamed "Melanoma Month"! Every day on Facebook and sometimes Instagram, I've been posting facts about skin cancer and melanoma. I'm already wondering if people are tired of it, but then I remember that if I can read people's drama, complaints, boring details of their day, not to mention all the selfies and duck face pics, they can read my skin cancer facts - at least these could be life saving!

In case you missed it, here are my first 7 days of tips/facts about skin cancer/melanoma:

Day 1 - Melanoma can start anywhere, not just on your skin, and not just skin that sees the sun! It can start under your fingernails, in your eyes, in your mouth, and other orifices - there are melanoma survivors who never found their primary site. So in addition to checking your skin for suspicious moles, check fingernails for spots that don't grow with the nail, check the whites of your eyes for spots, and ask your dentist, optometrist, and OB/GYN to check for moles/spots etc. during your routine checkups.  

Day 2 - Darker skinned people can also get skin cancer, Bob Marley being the most famous example. It most often occurs on non exposed skin, under fingernails, or in mucous membranes. So check those areas and visit your dermatologist even if you are not pale and covered in freckles and moles!

*Bonus for Day 2 - I was at the hair salon and thought I'd remind everyone to have their hair stylist check for moles or spots on their scalp. My first dermatologist said that it's easier to check when they're washing your hair than having someone check your scalp when your hair is dry. 

Day 3 - There are many risk factors for melanoma and other skin cancers, and it's not just excessive tanning or burning. UV Radiation is a factor of course, but so is: 

Pale skin and/or light colored hair

Exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds or radium

Family history of skin cancer

Multiple freckles/moles

Also, having one type of skin cancer (BCC, SCC, melanoma) can increase your risk for another type. (This information came from the American Cancer Society, through the Melanoma Prayer Center)

Day 4 - I shared another picture from the Melanoma Prayer Center showing how melanoma doesn't always look like a funky mole. It can look like a rash or burn - but it will grow instead of heal. I encourage you to Google pictures of what melanoma looks like, but probably not during lunch, because while a funky mole isn't that bad, advanced melanoma can be pretty horrific. 

I also shared that using tanning beds before the age of 35 increases your chances of melanoma by 75%!! That's especially scary because so many people tan, and when I was younger, it seems like all of my friends tanned in tanning beds at one time or another. This info is from skincancer.org. I know that plenty of people will continue to tan, despite the risks, so if you do, PLEASE get your skin checked by a dermatologist twice a year, and remember that a sunburn from a tanning bed is no safer than a sunburn from the sun! 

If I had at least went to the dermatologist sooner, maybe I wouldn't be visiting Mayo Clinic every 3-6-12 weeks, getting scans, bloodwork, and drug infusions. Maybe I'd still be able to do pull ups and plyo push ups and my range of motion wouldn't be completely screwed up from lymph node removal and radiation therapy. Just sayin!

Day 5 - Melanoma is not an "old people" disease. Melanoma has seen a huge increase in teenagers 15-19. I've talked about Jillian Hayes many times, she passed away at 23 years old from this disease. That is far too young! I know teenagers (and in my case, people in their 30's) think nothing bad can ever happen to them, but it's not true. We can't prevent bad things from happening, but we can try, and melanoma can be preventable!

Day 6 - Melanoma is one of the 3 types of cancer that can be passed to a child during pregnancy. Can you imagine how difficult that must be for an expectant mother?? It's yet another reminder that what we do affects more than just ourselves. Visit Addison's Army to learn more about melanoma's youngest warrior. 

Day 7 - Getting sunburned can DOUBLE your chances of melanoma! One blistering burn at a young age, or 5 sunburns at any age doubles your risk. Who has never been sunburned?! Growing up in Florida, I think it's almost a requirement, it's definitely normal. But we need to change that. Wear sunscreen and/or UV protective clothing, and avoid the sun when possible between 10am - 4pm. Stop letting yourself get burned, and protect your kids in the sun!

So, that's week 1! Love the skin you're in!