Sun and Skin Cancer

Sun and skin cancer is the topic area for people who spend time outdoors in Madera and would like to look after their skin without turning it into a project. It gathers seven questions, from sunscreen basics to what a worrying spot can look like. Readers elsewhere in Madera County, from Madera Acres to Fairmead, can use it just as well.

The CDC frames the goal this way: "You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun." The first group of questions below is about doing exactly that.

Everyday habits you can start today

These questions need no appointment and little money.

• What SPF should I use every day?
• Does sunscreen expire?
• How do I check my skin for cancer at home?

For more general reading, the FDA page on helping protect your skin from the sun goes well with the first two questions, and the American Academy of Dermatology skin cancer awareness program goes with the third.

What to look for on your skin

These four help you describe a spot clearly, so a clinician can look at it with you.

• What does basal cell carcinoma look like?
• What are the ABCDEs of melanoma?
• Can people with darker skin get skin cancer?
• What is an actinic keratosis?

The SPF question comes first

Start with the SPF question. It asks for no appointment, and you can act on the answer the same day.