Your skin is the biggest organ in the body. For this reason, the skin warrants as much attention as any other medical issue. What might appear like a harmless, cosmetic flaw might not be. Conducting regular self-checks on your skin is vital for everybody, but particularly crucial for anybody at heightened risk of skin cancer. As such, understanding the common risk factors for skin cancer Kingwood is important as you can adopt the right measures to reduce your risk. Continue reading to learn more.
- UV Radiation Exposure
The outermost skin layer (the epidermis) generates a pigment known as melanin, which is responsible for the skin’s natural color. Once exposed to UV radiation, the skin produces more melanin, darkening the skin. This darkening is known as tan and is not a sign of good health, but rather damaged skin cells.
Tanning leads to DNA damage, premature aging skin, and even skin cancer. The cumulative effect of UV radiation exposure eventually causes skin cancer, even without any noticeable sunburns. As such, irrespective of your skin type, you should avoid prolonged UV radiation exposure, and apply sunscreen when outdoors.
- Hereditary Factors
Hereditary factors, especially within your immediate kin, play a crucial role in the likelihood of acquiring skin cancer. If one or both parents, siblings, or other close relatives suffered skin cancer, you are also likely to develop the condition, particularly if you share a similar skin type. Additional heredity factors that raise your risk of skin cancer include having a likelihood to freckle, blonde or blonde hair, fair skin, and sun-sensitive skin.
- Skin Type
Individuals with fair skin are more likely to acquire skin cancer than people with dark skin. Thus, if you have fair skin, educate your kids on the benefits of sun protection. Advise them to develop proper sun protection practices from a tender age to reduce the danger of skin damage and cancer.
Melanin in dark-skin people provides some protection against the damaging impacts of UV radiation, which in turn, reduces skin cancer risk. Unfortunately, once skin cancer is spotted in individuals with dark skin, it is frequently detected at a later, more hazardous stage, when the condition is potentially life-threatening.
Regardless of skin type, everybody should be familiar with their skin. Inspect your skin, not only the areas exposed to sunlight. If you identify anything unusual, such as a change in size, color, shape, or spotting, seek immediate care.
- Freckles and Moles
Numerous individuals have freckles and moles. However, your risk of skin cancer increases if you have numerous freckles and moles. Request your specialist to immediately inspect any abnormal skin changes, including new or existing freckles or moles that change color, shape, grow, bleed, or ulcerate.
- Age
Skin cancer is more prevalent in older adults than younger persons. Nonetheless, in recent times, there is an increase in the number of skin cancer diagnoses in young people.
Every year or decade of increased sunlight exposure further heightens your risk for melanoma. Specialists argue that by reducing your UV radiation exposure, irrespective of your age, you may reduce your risk of skin cancer.
A risk factor is anything that heightens your likelihood of acquiring an illness like cancer. Various cancers have varying risk factors, ranging from lifestyle habits like smoking to general concerns like age. Nonetheless, having a risk factor or even multiple risk factors does not imply you will acquire skin cancer. Besides, some individuals with even no recognizable risk factors will develop cancer. Therefore, if you have a suspicious mole, freckle, or another warning sign of skin cancer, you should see a specialist for a professional diagnosis and care plan.
