M&M's

This beautiful month of May is typically remembered for Mother's Day and Melanoma Awareness.  Two totally different ends of the spectrum, in my book, because celebrating our mothers is a wonderful thing and melanoma is a potentially deadly disease.

I'd first like to say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all of you who are mothers, stepmothers and grandmothers.  I hope you all have a wonderful day!  I know I will because I am going to visit my mother and my eldest daughter.

Melanoma is less common than other skin cancers but is much more dangerous.  The majority of deaths related to skin cancer (75%) are caused by melanoma.  Worldwide about 160,000 new cases of are reported each year with about 48,000 resulting in death.

KNOW THE SIGNS

Check your moles and skin lesions with this popular method for remembering the signs and symptoms.

Asymmetrical skin lesion

Border of the lesion is irregular

Color is varied or has multiple colors

Diameter greater than 6mm are more likely to be melanoma

Enlarging or evolving

HOW TO KEEP SAFE

For another phrase that is easy to remember and that summarizes the current advice on sun safety, I recommend "sunAWARE".

Avoid unprotected exposure during the peak UV hours between 1-a.m. and 4 p.m.

Wear sun protection clothing, including a hat with a 3-inch brim and sunglasses. 

Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ to all unprotected skin and reapply every two hours while in the sun.

Routinely check skin for changes and report suspicious changes to a physician.

Express the need for sun protection to your family and community.

I hope the ABCDE's and sunAWARE help you and your families remember how to be sun-safe this summer.

To view previous month's tips, please click here.