#skincancer #skincare - prevention strategies (CDC).

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet most cases are preventable. Nearly 5 million people in the United States are treated for skin cancers each year, at a cost of about $8.1 billion. Most of these skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun and indoor tanning devices. Almost 9000 people die each year from melanoma, and incidence rates have been increasing about 3% per year for the past 35 years (despite efforts to address skin cancer risk factors, such as inadequate sun protection and tanning behaviors, skin cancer rates have continued to increase in the United States).

The CDC emphasizes the importance of clinicians and the broader healthcare community working together to prevent skin cancer. The US Preventive Services Task force (USPSTF) recommends that medical providers counsel children, adolescents, and young adults aged 10-24 years who have fair skin about minimizing their exposure to UV radiation to reduce risk for skin cancer.^] This includes talking to patients about sun protection habits, as well as avoiding indoor tanning and sunbathing. USPSTF's website provides more information about the recommendation for behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer.

Successful counseling interventions often use cancer prevention or appearance-focused messages (such as stressing the aging effect of UV on the skin) to reach specific audiences. Indoor tanning is quite common among teen girls and young women; some tan regularly and others tan before such special occasions as a prom or a wedding.

Be aware of the appearance of your patients' skin. Do they look like they have been tanning? Adolescents and young adults often feel pressure to conform to certain beauty standards and to look tanned. Your reminder that tanning is not only dangerous but will harm their appearance is important. The potential for premature skin aging, wrinkles, and age spots may resonate more with adolescent and young women, those who are most likely to indoor tan, than information on their skin cancer risk alone. 

Regular broad-spectrum sunscreen use works best if it is used in combination with other methods of sun protection. Therefore, behavioral counseling to promote skin cancer prevention should focus on improving multiple behaviors to reduce UV exposure and not improving sunscreen use alone.

Doctors should encourage patients -- and their relatives -- to protect their skin when outdoors by seeking shade and wearing protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher can also be used to protect exposed skin and should be reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating. Every visit is a chance to reinforce these skin-protection messages while helping patients lead active, healthy lives. 

Font: Medscape.