First Day of Summer Has Come: Enjoy the Summer Sunshine Without Putting Yourself at Risk

June 21, 2009

This week marks the official start of summer. People everywhere will be shedding their spring raincoats and spending time outdoors in the sun's rays. But, before basking in all the sunshine, it's important to practice skin sun safety. MoleSafe, (www.molesafe.com), a company that offers an advanced skin cancer early detection program, is encouraging the public to shield their skin from the summer sun and also remind those at risk to get their skin checked for suspicious moles and lesions.

Cancer survivor Elizabeth Moore describes her experience with melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) and how the disease has changed her life. She stresses the importance of early detection and explains how it can save lives.

Click here to enter MoleSafe's website and view Elizabeth's video

Skin Cancer Prevention Tips and Facts

• Examine your skin from head to toe every month
• The risk of developing melanoma doubles if you have had 5 or more sunburns
• Your chance of getting melanoma increases significantly if you've already had a previous melanoma, but also increases if you have had either basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, the more common forms of skin cancer
• Melanoma appears most frequently on the torso area in fair-skinned men and on the lower leg in fair-skinned women
• It is estimated that 20 percent to 40 percent of melanomas arise from an atypical mole
• Utilize services like MoleSafe that detect new, changing and/or suspicious lesions by monitoring and comparing the images over time
• Even after the summer, continue to monitor any changes in moles year-round including change in the size, shape, color, or feel; a black or blue-black area

Statistics/Data Skin Cancer

• More than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year
• One in 55 people will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime
• Contrary to popular belief, 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18 -- the number is closer to 23 percent
• Skin is the largest organ in the body; it helps regulate body temperature, prevents excess fluid loss, and aids the body in removing excess water and salt
• Survival rate for patients with early detection is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls between 15 and 65 percent or higher, depending on how far the disease has spread

Quote

"During the summer it is imperative for Americans to take full action to protect their skin from the sun. Additionally, early detection lowers the risk of melanoma, so the best thing you can do is get your skin checked for suspicious moles and lesions," said Dr. Richard Bezozo, president of MoleSafe. "With the expansion of MoleSafe locations in the U.S., our company's advanced detection program will be readily available to more communities, ultimately saving lives from this deadly disease."

SOURCE MoleSafe