Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Summer’s over but Melanoma isn’t because it’s not just a summer disease.
Melanoma sadly kills 1 American every hour…
that’s 10,000 deaths a year from a completely preventable disease.
Preventing Melanoma is about knowing the facts
and not buying into myths that are convenient to believe.
So stay tuned for mythbusting of 7 melanoma myths.
Hello
I'm Dr. Neal Schultz
[pause]
And welcome to DermTV.
My esteemed colleague, Dr. Steven ***
from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
and author of the important book
“Beating Melanoma: A Five Step Survival Guide,”
in a recent article in “Bottom Line Health”
discussed 7 myths that I would like to share with you…
each of which can increase your risk of Melanoma.
First myth… “Melanoma is a rare disease”.
The facts are as many as 100,000 new cases of Melanoma
are diagnosed in this country every year
and there is currently a virtual epidemic of Melanoma
in white women between the ages of 15 and 39.
Second myth… “You won’t get Melanoma if you avoid the sun”.
Yes, avoiding the sun and even protecting yourself from it
can lower your risk of Melanoma but doesn’t eliminate it.
One bad sunburn as a child or teen can start a process
which results in Melanoma 25 years later
despite current sun protection as an adult.
Myth #3… This may be a shocker but… “Sunscreen prevents melanoma!”
The unfortunate reality is sunscreen use helps prevent Melanoma
but doesn’t guarantee you won’t get it.
Myth#4… “Tanning booths are safer than they used to be”
This one’s easy. Anytime you get a tan regardless of how,
it’s because your skin has been damaged by cancer causing UV rays.
There is no safe tan… period.
In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute,
people who used tanning salons at least once a week
were 55% more likely to get Melanoma. Need I say any more?
Myth #5… “You’re safe in your car”
The reality is regular car window glass lets 70% of the UVA cancer causing rays
through the glass to hit your skin.
You need broad spectrum sunscreen in the car
even if the windows are closed.
Myth #6… Melanoma appears as an ugly black mole.
Actually, many melanomas are neither ugly nor black,
but can be lighter shades of tan and brown
and can even be less than half the size of a pencil eraser.
Look for any spot that’s darker or different from your other moles
and know the ABCDE rules for spotting melanoma,
which I covered in another episode.
And last, Myth #7… Melanoma is usually fatal.
Fortunately, as a result of more people getting
regular skin cancer checks by dermatologists,
most melanomas are detected early enough to be cured
and for the more advanced ones,
we now have new medicines that are significantly increasing survival rates.
It’s easy to decrease your risk of this terrible cancer,
and early detection results in greater than 95% survival.
So there you have it. 7 melanoma myths.
Don't get lulled into a false sense of security
by conveniently believing any of the myths I just mentioned.
The best defense against getting melanoma is prevention,
so make sure to wear sunscreen every day and have annual exams.
It’s a matter of life or death. Yours.