Let’s Have a True/False Quiz on Skin Cancer

Now that we’re heading into prime beach time here in Naples people get excited. Your skin? Not so much! Your skin is under constant bombardment from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Those rays are aging your skin, but even worse, they’re creating skin cancers.
At Naples Cosmetic Surgery Center, we have various options for addressing skin cancers, but the best treatment is prevention and prevention begins with knowledge. Let’s see how you do on these questions and answers about skin cancer.
UVA vs. UVB
You see the labels on sunscreen. Some say they block UVB rays. Others say they are broad based. You need a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Why? They both are beating up your skin. UVA rays penetrate the epidermis and affect the dermis beneath, causing your skin to age and creating the beginnings of skin cancer. UVB rays cause sunburn on the epidermis and also lead to the topical skin cancer lesions.
If you get skin cancer you die.
Not true. Most skin cancers, if detected early enough, are all treatable with surgery. That’s where Dr. Turk’s surgical expertise comes into play. Not only will he remove the cancerous tissue, but also he’ll minimize the scarring associated with the surgery.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer
This is true. In the U.S. over one million people each year are diagnosed with skin cancer. Probably double that or more are undiagnosed.
Sunscreen prevents skin cancer
Nope. Sunscreen helps block the rays than lead to skin cancer, but just because you have on sunscreen doesn’t mean you can spend every waking minute in the sun without repercussions. Sun damage is cumulative.
If you have lots of moles, you have a higher risk of melanoma
This is true. People with moles, especially large ones, have a higher risk of melanoma. Those moles need to be checked constantly to see if they change shape or color.
Melanoma and squamous and basal cell carcinomas all develop from the amount of sun exposure
This is true and false. Squamous and basal cell carcinomas do develop from the accumulated amount of sun exposure. Over your life your exposure adds up and eventually in most people who’ve seen a lot of sun one or both of those two skin cancers will develop. Melanoma does develop from sun exposure, but it’s not the amount of total exposure. Research indicates melanoma develops out of those severe burns we’ve all experienced (often as children). Just one severe, peeling burn doubles your risk of developing melanoma later in life.
If you have skin cancer that needs addressing surgically, trust Dr. Turk to do the job. Call us at 239-348-4357 for an appointment.