Today kicks off the first Monday during Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It’s also known as Melanoma Monday. This particular day focuses on raising awareness about melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, one person dies of melanoma every hour (every 52 minutes). Fortunately, melanoma is highly treatable. If caught early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. So, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with you. Well, redheads are at a greater risk of developing melanoma than any other hair color – even if they are not in the sun.
Want to know the secret to Julianne Moore’s flawless skin? “Sunscreen every day, whatever I can get in a drugstore,” Moore told host Andy Cohen in 2015. “I use a face oil, doesn’t matter what kind. First I put the face oil on, then I put the sunscreen on, and I don’t go into the sun. And honestly, that’s really it.”
With the summer months approaching, it’s extremely important to protect your fair, freckled skin. Here’s how:
1. Get a skin screening this month.
Lucky for us redheads, the American Academy of Dermatology’s SPOTme® screening is offering free screenings throughout the United States this month. Check your local clinic, dermatology office or click here to find a SPOTme location near you.
READ: What to Expect When You’re Getting a Skin-Cancer Screening
2. Wear sunscreen daily.
We preach this a lot at How to be a Redhead (and in the “How to be a Redhead” book) because it’s the #1 beauty tip you should follow each and every day. Your skin will do the happy dance for you.
Traveling this summer? READ: The 10 Best Sunscreens Picks for Redheads in 2016
3. Reapply your sunscreen.
There’s no time to shrug and say, “I’ll apply later.” To effectively keep your skin from bringing, it’s essential to re-apply every 2 hours. If you only apply once in the morning, you’re increasing your chances of getting a sunburnt as the day goes on.
4. Rock a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
… in order to protect your beautiful red hair and eyes!
READ: 10 Must-Have ‘Redhead Friendly’ Essentials This Spring
5. Keep checking your skin for any usual spots or moles.
We can’t keep melanoma from taking the lives of so many. It’s easy to perform your own skin screenings at home.
Have a family member or loved one help you in the places you cannot see; i.e. your back. Spot anything on your skin that looks a little odd? Remember the “A B C D E” signs of melanoma:
- A is for asymmetry where one side of the mole looks different from the other.
- B is for border, where the border of the mole changes from a regular to a more scalloped look.
- C is for color, either a darkening or lightening of the mole.
- D is for diameter, or change in size.
- E sums it all up and stands for evolution.
If any of your spots match the above, seek a skin professional as soon as you can.
Have anything to add to this article? Share below and have a sun safe Melanoma Monday!
