MELANOMA MONDAY
Melanoma Monday is a part of an awareness campaign during National Melanoma Month . Each year on the first Monday in May, we are raising awareness about skin cancer in hopes of reducing melanoma diagnosis.
#MELANOMAMONDAY
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. On Melanoma Monday we are spreading the word about skin health, sun safety, tanning prevention, and skin cancer screenings. While melanoma and other skin cancers are not 100% preventable, there are ways to reduce your risk. We are on a mission to provide resources and information to bring awareness to melanoma, and hopefully reduce the number of melanoma diagnosis.
Tips to Reduce Skin Cancer Risks
Wear sunscreen to protect yourself from harmful UV rays and remember to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
Cover up by wearing a broad-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and pants when planning to be in the sun for an extended period of time.
Finding shade under trees, umbrellas, and awnings provides excellent sun protection on warm sunny days.
Protecting your skin against UV rays on a cloudy days is important, too. Lack of sun does not mean lack of UV rays.
Avoid tanning beds. UV light in tanning beds puts you at a higher risk for melanoma.
Check your skin regularly for abnormal moles or other skin abnormalities. If you notice changes, see your doctor to have it checked.
As of 2023, the American Cancer Society estimates almost 98,000 people will receive a new diagnosis for melanoma. Unfortunately, around 8,000 people are expected to die from the disease. Thankfully, mortality rates have declined over the past decade. Advancements in treatment and technology both attribute to the success rate of catching and treating melanoma.
Prevention
Anyone is at risk of getting melanoma. However, the disease seems to be more common in Caucasians versus Blacks. One out of 38 Caucasians will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime, which is significantly higher than 1 out of 1,000 Blacks. Specific risk factors, such as fair skin tone, freckles, and light hair all contribute to a melanoma skin cancer diagnosis.
You may have a higher risk of melanoma if you have a parent, sibling, or child who has already had melanoma. Knowing your family medical history is an important step in prevention. Family history helps your doctor look for signs of possible melanoma that you may miss. The best prevention is regular skin exams with your doctor and performing monthly exams on your own.
Age also increases the risk of melanoma. On average, people 65 and over are diagnosed with melanoma more often. However, melanoma is commonly found in people younger than 30, especially in women.
SUPPORT #MelanomaMonday
Join the American Academy of Dermatology in wearing orange for skin cancer awareness.
Encourage others to wear orange for skin cancer awareness.
Offer to help a skin cancer patient with chores or errands.
Learn about melanoma and skin screenings.
Use #MelanomaMonday to post on social media.
MELANOMA MONDAY HISTORY
The American Academy of Dermatology founded National Melanoma Monday to raise awareness about melanoma. By promoting prevention resources ahead of the summer months, the Academy hopes to improve prevention and increase screening. For more information on prevention and screening visit www.melanomaknowmore.com.