MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The U.P. Health System paired with Lilly Dermatology on Thursday to address the importance of Skin Cancer awareness. Samantha Conklin, a nurse practitioner at Lilly Dermatology, gave a seminar at Marquette’s Hampton Inn.
She says a major prevention tactic is to avoid too much sun exposure, and to make sure to properly use sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going outside. Also, regularly checking for moles or unusual spots and skin discoloration can also decrease risks for Melonoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, especially if detected early.
“Some of the big things with preventing skin cancer include seeking shade when possible, trying to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is at its brightest,” said Conklin. “Another trick is, if your shadow is shorter than you, try to seek shade.”
Conklin talked about using the ‘ABCDEs’ of Melonoma, which can greatly help identify warning signs. These stand for Asymmetry, where one half of a lesion is unlike its other half, Border, where a lesion can have a poorly defined perimeter, Color, where different shades can be seen across an area, Diameter, if the melanoma is larger than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser,) and Evolving, if the mole or lesion has grown over time.
For more information on skin protection this summer, visit lillydermmd.com.
