Melanoma is NOT just skin cancer

It is the deadliest form of skin cancer and can affect anybody, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. It can spread through the blood and lymph vessels to other parts of the body. It is actually one of the fastest growing cancers worldwide. In Canada itself, incidences of melanoma have more than tripled in the last 30 years and continue to rise. Over 1200 Canadians will die from melanoma each year. There is hope, survival rates are high if melanoma is detected early, so it is extremely important to find and remove melanomas right away.

Over 1,200 Canadians will die from melanoma Each year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melanoma can develop any time of the year, not just during the summer months

Melanoma can develop at any time throughout the year, which is why it is important to check your skin monthly! Monitor changes in your skin and moles not just in the summer but throughout the year, and report them to your doctor. Use the ABCDE Method

In addition, make sure you are sun safe throughout the year. Many people do not realize the harmful effects of the sun on exposed skin during the fall, winter and spring months. UV rays can get through clouds, fog and haze. So while many Canadians are aware of the need to wear sunscreen and be sun safe during the summer, a 2012 survey shows that two-thirds of Canadians do not wear sunscreen in the winter.

abcdes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no such thing as a healthy tan

Any tan or change in skin colour is a sign of skin damage. A tan actually causes premature aging of skin, wrinkles, brown spots and, most importantly, skin cancer or melanoma. This not only makes you look older, but can also affect your health negatively. People who use artificial sources of UV radiation indoors (i.e. tanning beds, and sunlamps) have about a 75 percent higher risk of developing melanoma or other forms of skin cancer. So the best thing to do is avoid it in general!

tanning-beds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can get melanoma in your eye

Melanoma typically forms from a mole on the surface of the skin, but it can also develop in the eye. This type of melanoma is called Uveal melanoma. It is a cancer of the eye involving the iris, ciliary body, or choroid (collectively referred to as the uvea). Although it is not as common as melanoma found on the skin, it is still important to take prevention measures such as:

  • Seeking shade between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. when UV radiation is at its peak
  • Wearing a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears
  • Wearing UVA/UVB wrap around sunglasses

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You don’t need the sun to get Vitamin D

Myths about Vitamin D

Many people don’t know that we do not need to rely on vitamin D generated from UV exposure for our bone or whole body health. We can get adequate amounts of it from a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D or those that have been fortified with vitamin D (such as milk or milk alternatives, fortified soy, almond beverages, and fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon) and/or vitamin D supplements.