Ten years ago, I was at a routine dermatologist appointment when my doctor found two concerning spots on my back.
asserted
doctor → find → back
Soon after, Dr. Elizabeth Hale told me my biopsy revealed I had
, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
asserted
I → tell → cancer
Thankfully, Hale caught it early and removed it before the cancer spread.
asserted
cancer → catch → it
It was a wake-up call.
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It → wake → ?
Now, when I spend time in the sun, I seek out the shade, wear UV protective clothing, and consistently reapply broad spectrum
.
asserted
I → spend → clothing
Growing up in Texas, I spent a lot of time outdoors and got sunburned.
asserted
I → grow → time
One of my biggest regrets was going to tanning salons.
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One → go → salons
Around 20% of Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer.
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% → diagnose → cancer
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, where Hale is the senior vice president, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined.
uncertain
people → accord → cancers
But Hale wants people to know that skin cancer is also "the most preventable," and "it's almost always curable."
Hale is a board-certified dermatologist.
asserted
Hale → want → ?
We went to her practice, CompleteSkinMD, in New York City to discuss what we should all know about skin cancer.
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we → go → cancer
"It is directly related to exposure to tanning beds and to sunburns," Hale said.
asserted
Hale → relate → sunburns
Hale said melanoma can be found anywhere on the body, but for women, it commonly occurs on lower legs and places like the buttocks.
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it → say → buttocks
"[Places that] never sees the sun, except for when you're undressed in a tanning bed," Hale said.
asserted
Hale → see → bed
"We have to keep our kids out of tanning beds and get them to practice good sun protection."
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them → have → protection
The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that "exposure to tanning beds before the age of 35 … increases your chance for melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer, by 75%."
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which → report → %
Another future impact of these harmful tanning habits and sun exposure is seen in how skin ages and how fast.
asserted
skin → see → habits
To Hale, the science is clear: "Up to 90% of skin cancers are caused by overexposure to the sun, but also up to 99% of the signs of premature skin aging."
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% → cause → aging
The "tanmaxxing" social media trend is a problem
Tanning trends have been going viral
platforms with young women exposing themselves to harmful UV rays without any protection for hours on end.
asserted
women → go → end
From bathing in direct sunlight to frequent trips to tanning salons, "people are bragging about the sunburn they're getting," Hale noted.
asserted
Hale → bath → sunburn
Long hours under the sun may be popular, but it puts people at risk.
uncertain
it → put → risk
According to the FDA, any kind of tan greatly increases someone's risk of getting skin cancer.
uncertain
kind → accord → cancer
"There really is no such thing as … a safe, healthy tan," Hale said.
asserted
Hale → say → tan
While a tan might look nice, the reality behind why your skin gets darker is more troubling.
uncertain
skin → look → ?
The tan is actually "representing DNA damage" that can manifest as cancer later.
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that → represent → cancer
Basal cell carcinoma is not only the most common skin cancer but also "the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States overall," as it accounts for 80% of new skin cancer diagnoses.
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it → diagnose → diagnoses
Basal cell carcinoma also doesn't metastasize into deadlier forms of skin cancer but dermatologists will still recommend the tumor or mole be removed, as "they can start eating away through the skin into the underlying structure" if left unattended.
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they → metastasize → structure
Hale assures patients the procedures are "little nothings" and leave minimal scarring.
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procedures → assure → scarring
Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common, but unlike basal cell, this skin cancer can spread if untreated.
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cancer → spread → cell
This carcinoma is also the "most correlated with chronic sun exposure."
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carcinoma → correlate → exposure
"Even though it only accounts for 5% of new cases of skin cancer, it's responsible for more than 75% of skin cancer-related deaths," Hale said.
asserted
Hale → account → deaths
"There have been major advances in melanoma treatment, but it's still really best to get your skin checked because when melanoma is caught early it has greater than a 99% five-year survival.
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it → get → survival
But once it spreads, that survival rate goes down precipitously," she said.
asserted
she → spread → ?
Be familiar with your skin and get it checked regularly
Skin cancer, when detected early, is "almost always curable," Hale said.
asserted
Hale → get → skin
However, if people neglect to care for their skin and have it checked by a physician, benign moles can develop into cancer and metastasize.
asserted
moles → neglect → cancer
Hale says people should have their skin checked annually starting at 18 years old.
asserted
skin → say → ?
Those with a family history of skin cancer or others who are at high risk should talk with their dermatologist to see if they would benefit from more frequent visits to identify early any signs of skin cancer.
asserted
they → talk → cancer
The bottom line, according to Hale, is "the best sunscreen is the one you'll actually use" — but not all sunscreens are created equal.
uncertain
sunscreens → accord → Hale
Look for ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in your sunscreen, which keep both UVB and the more dangerous UVA rays at bay.
asserted
which → look → bay
For days at the beach or when you expect to sweat, choose a chemical sunscreen with avobenzone.
asserted
you → expect → avobenzone
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
