_________________________________________________________________________________Melanoma: Melanoma: a real health crisis
Dermatologists are battling a growing crisis in the US with melanoma.
The incidence of this type of skin malignancy has gone up over 400%
in the last 25 years! The number of people in the United States developing
melanoma surpassed 75,000 in 2013, with over 10,000 melanoma deaths
anticipated in 2016 in the United States. 2000 of these people with a new diagnosis
of melanoma were younger than 20, and 300 were younger than 12.

Why is melanoma going up in incidence?
Factors include more outdoor sun exposure, more blistering sunburns, and use of tanning salons.  Over 1 million American teens tan indoors each week! 

So what can you do about the risk of melanoma for your family?
 1. First, avoid mid-day sun and tanning salon use. Use protective clothing, sun hats, and sunglasses in the summer. Umbrellas are in….
2. Secondly, use ample amounts of sunscreen frequently when in the sun. You want a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, and you want to reapply that sunscreen every 90 minutes when out. Look for a broad spectrum sunscreen, one that protects both against both the UVB rays and the UVA rays.
3. It takes 2 ounces of sunscreen to cover your entire body.
4. Know your moles, and those of your family. Look for the “ugly duckling” sign: a mole that has changed shape or color.  If it’s the first of the month, consider checking everybody’s moles.
5. Remember your little people. It has been shown that even one or two blistering sunburns in childhood increases the lifetime risk of melanoma markedly. Protect your kids!

The child below would be considered high risk because of his blond hair and fair complexion: