Squamous cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma

Whether fishing or turkey hunting this Spring, reducing your sun exposure will help maximize your outdoor enjoyment. Nothing ruins the second day of a trip like a bad sunburn on the first day. Blistering, red skin with fever and chills is no way to enjoy being outdoors. Protective clothing, sun avoidance and effective sunscreen usage will prevent the unpleasant symptoms of sunburn and protect against the long term results of photo damage such as wrinkling, brown sun spots and of course, skin cancer.

The American Academy of Dermatology reports well over one million new cases of skin cancer each year. Skin cancers most commonly occur on the parts of the body which receive the greatest amount of sun exposure such as the face, ears, neck, hands and arms, (as well as the scalp in balding men). Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer (900,000 people per year in the U.S.) and presents as an enlarging pearly red bump or a non-healing sore. This cancer is usually treated with surgery and has a cure rate of 92-99%.

The second most common form of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma (200,000 people per year in the U.S.). Compared to squamous cell carcinoma of the throat or lungs, this type of skin cancer is much less likely to spread. The lesions appear as red crusty patches and are effectively treated with freezing or surgery in over 90% of cases.Unfortunately the third type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, has a rising incidence. In the U.S., one in 75 people will develop a melanoma over the course of their lifetime. A melanoma is usually a brown-pigmented mole with Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation and a Diameter greater than 6 mm (the ABCD danger signs of pigmented lesions). Suspicious lesions can be identified by an annual skin examination performed by your local dermatologist. Early detection is the key to a favorable prognosis. A melanoma less than 1 mm. in depth has a greater than 95% cure rate with surgical excision.

Malignant Melanoma A=Asymmetry (the left side of the lesion is unlike the right side)

B=Border Irregularity (the lesion has a scalloped or poorly defined border)

C=Color Variation (not all parts of the lesion are the same color; within the lesion may be patches of tan, brown, black, pink, white or blue)

D=Diameter (a melanoma is usually larger than 6 millimeters in diameter, about the size of a pencil eraser)

Skin cancer prevention begins with sun avoidance. Frequently hunting and fishing activities can be scheduled to avoid sun exposure when ultraviolet radiation is the most intense (i.e. 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). In addition to scheduling your outdoor hours strategically, protective clothing is the next critical step in sun avoidance. A hat with a 6" brim all the way around (baseball style caps don't protect the neck and ears) provides an SPF (sun protection factor) of 8 if constructed with ultraviolet impenetrable material.

Loosely woven straw or mesh materials allow the sun's rays to penetrate through to the skin. In fact old cotton tee shirts do not keep the sun off your back. Tightly woven, high-tech synthetic fabrics are now available that effectively block the harmful rays while allowing your skin to breathe and stay cool and comfortable. Shirts and pants are available with fabrics by Solarweave, Solarknit, Solumbra and M.C.S. blocker.

The last line of defense against ultraviolet radiation is sun block. The active ingredients of sunscreen can be divided into two broad categories, organic (chemical) blockers and inorganic (physical) blockers. While many sunscreens report both UVB and UVA protection, only a few are truly able to block the UVA component of sunlight. (Don't forget, tanning beds emit UVA irradiation and are detrimental to the skin).

The most effective chemical block is Parsol 1789 (avobenzone) while the preferred physical blocks are zinc and titanium dioxide. The physical blocks are no longer opaque white creams (like on the lifeguard's nose). They are now micronized (i.e. Z-Cote) to provide a transparent block which can be invisibly applied to the skin. Choosing a sunscreen that employs chemical or physical blockers which effectively protect against UVA radiation is more important than simply looking for large SPF numbers. Once the SPF factor is greater than 15, there is a diminishing return on the increased amount of protection provided.

Sunscreen should be liberally applied 30 minutes before going outdoors. Rubbing the block into the skin avoids skip areas and helps the active ingredients penetrate the layers of skin. Perspiration, toweling off, and water activities wash away sun screens (even the waterproof products). Therefore all blocks should be re-applied every two hours for maximal protection.

This Spring be skin smart as you enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. Follow the outlined sun precautions of (1) sun-avoidance (i.e. strategically avoiding hours of most intense sunlight), (2) sun-protective clothing, and (3) effective sunscreen usage to avoid sunburns and ultimately prevent skin cancers.