We are all concerned about skin cancer. In fact, almost everyone uses sunscreen and we are increasingly aware of it. But we still have many doubts about skin cancer and its symptoms. To clarify all of them, we have spoken with Dr. Juan Ferrando, dermatologist at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and member of the AEDV.
1. What are the symptoms of skin cancer?
It is normal that due to age or genetics, spots of all kinds appear. But visit the dermatologist if your spot …
- It is asymmetric.
- It has ragged edges.
- It has various colors in addition to black and brown, such as blue, red, and / or white.
- It grows rapidly and increases in size.
- It itches and hurts. Having any of these signs is not synonymous with malignancy.
2. What types of cancer can it be a sign of?
Basically from malignant melanoma, the least common but deadliest skin cancer.
3. Why do freckles and moles appear?
The color of your skin, eyes and hair depends on your melanocytes, the cells that are responsible for producing pigment and prevent the sun's rays from damaging you. Moles and freckles are marks caused by a buildup of generally benign melanocytes.
4. Who do they appear to?
As Juan Ferrando explains, “one is born with them, with a propensity to have them, or they are already programmed and will appear throughout life”. It is therefore an inherited trend.
5. What is a melanoma?
It is a type of skin cancer that occurs when there is a concentration of malignant melanocytes (the cells that give us the tan) that multiply uncontrollably.
6. What is more likely to give you clues, a freckle or a mole?
A mole is more likely to give you clues to malignancy, but this doesn't mean you can underestimate freckles or other blemishes. As Dr. Ferrando says, "you have to be suspicious of all injuries."
7. Can a lifelong freckle or mole turn “bad”?
They are mostly benign. But in some cases they can become malignant. That is why it is so important to control them.
8. Why does a stain suddenly get “complicated”?
According to Dr. Ferrando, it happens “when the genetic predisposition factor and the skin type are added to external triggers, of which the sun is the most important. All this produces mutations in the cell and it becomes cancerous ”.
9. Are any new moles that appear suspicious?
Yes. It is normal for new freckles to appear, especially with sun exposure, but moles to appear is rarer. If you detect a new mole, the most sensible thing is to visit the dermatologist to be calmer.
10. Are there people more vulnerable to skin cancer?
Without forgetting that there is a genetic predisposition to suffer from skin cancer, people with fair skin and light eyes, who always burn and do not tan, must be especially protected. It can appear at any age, but in childhood it is very rare for skin cancer to appear.
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Skin Cancer
- Children, in the shade. According to the Spanish Association Against Cancer, 35% of parents, when their children turn 10, stop worrying about their care under the sun's rays. Sunburn in childhood is especially dangerous, so children should be well protected from the sun. Children under 2 years of age should avoid sun exposure and the use of sunscreen. There are no studies that guarantee the safety of filters at these ages.
- Get progressively tanned. The higher the protection, you certainly tan less, but you still tan. It is worth doing it progressively, avoiding burns, even if it costs you a bit more time. Tanning accelerators are not recommended because they have very low protection factors.
- Get ahead of the sun. For best results, apply the sunscreen or lotion 30 minutes before sun exposure.
- Choose your cream well. It should protect you from UVB and UVA rays. Start with a high protection factor for the first few exposures and then lower it, but never use less than SPF 20. Find out which is the perfect sunscreen for you based on your skin type.
- Be generous and be protective in abundance. The recommended dose is 35 milliliters (a quarter of a small 150 ml bottle) in all the most exposed areas and in those that are not (between the toes, armpits, scalp…).
- Don't entrust all protection to the cream. Putting on cream does not give you a license to spend all day in the sun. Reduce your exposure to 2-3 hours and also use umbrellas and t-shirts to filter the sun's rays.
- Don't forget about your legs. Also put cream on your legs, an area that we consider to be "stronger" sometimes we take care less. Melanoma is more common on the legs of women, where the accumulated UV radiation is greater than on the legs of men.
