Sun Protection Needed Year-Round

Although sunscreen use is more associated with the activities of Spring and Summer, we should really protect ourselves from harmful UV rays all year long.  Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer.  While most moles are harmless, some can become cancerous.  Melanoma is associated with only 5% of all skin cancers cases, but it accounts for 77% of deaths related to skin cancer. 

At Hair Prosthesis Institute, we’ve served clients who have had cancerous areas of skin removed from their scalp, thus requiring a partial hair addition to restore their look after surgery.  Their hair follicles may sustain permanent damage and scar tissue will replace where hair once was.  Other clients may lose their hair from cancer treatments directed at other parts of the body, but started as a melanoma that metastacized to their current level.

Studies show that children who experience one or more blistering sunburns early in in life may not see harmful effects from it until in later years. 

Here’s some steps we can take to protect ourselves and family members from the harmful UV rays:

• Avoid the sun from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more and reapply often.  Use special formulated sunscreen for children.
• Wear long sleeves, pants and a wide-brimmed hat.
• People with thinning hair should use sunscreen on their scalp and wear head covering.
• Remember that using a tanning bed can be just as dangerous to the skin as sun exposure.
• Reserve Shellac or gel manicures that use UV lights as part of the process for special occasions instead of regular use.  Click here to read more.

However, protection is just the first course of preventing melanoma.  Early detection is key to surviving it.

• Examine your skin every 4-6 weeks.  Use a hand-held mirror for hard-to-see areas.
• Look for new moles, changes in color, size of shape of existing moles.
• Any changes you notice, report to your doctor immediately.

Click here to connect to a page on cancerresearch.org that contains photos showing the difference between a normal mole and one that could be cancerous.  However, any change you see in your own skin, you should seek your doctor’s advice or one specializing in this type of diagnosis, such as a Mohs Micrographic Surgery center.

It’s hard to see any person going through cancer treatments, especially if it’s a result of melanoma that possibly could have been prevented.  We hope our clients facing this challenge can take comfort in the fact that HPI can help to restore the look of their hair to their pre-diagnosis days.