7 Skin Cancer Risk Factors
You don't
need a red, peeling sunburn to know that too much UV exposure isn't good for
your skin. By now, we’re all familiar with the fact that too much sun on too
many occasions could set us up for cancerous consequences down the line—and
many of us are diligently slathering on the SPF to combat that risk.
“Each
blistering sunburn is important,” explains Susan Y. Chon, MD, associate
professor in the department of dermatology at the University of Texas MD
Anderson Cancer Center. Intense sun exposure that results in a blistering burn
increases a person’s risk of malanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, she
says.
But sun
exposure isn’t the only skin cancer risk factor. Here are some other traits and
habits linked to the disease you should know about.
Light skin, hair, and eyes
The
lighter your skin color, the less natural protection you have against UV rays,
Dr. Chon says. People with blue or green eyes or blonde or red hair also have a
higher risk of skin cancer than people with darker eyes and hair. Sorry, redheads:
You have the highest risk of melanoma, according to the National Council on
Skin Cancer Prevention.
If you
have darker skin, you’re more likely than your lighter-skinned friends to
encounter skin cancer on paler areas of your bodies, like the palms of your
hands and the soles of your feet, Dr. Chon says.
A family history of skin cancer
If you
come from a long line of light-skinned redheads or devoted tanners, there may
be incidences of skin cancer among your relatives that can serve as a warning
sign to you. But there are also some genetic risks for melanoma, including
mutations linked to pancreatic cancer and breast cancer, says Dr. Chon.
“They’re not common enough that we would screen someone,” she explains, but if
you know these genes run in your family, you might be more proactive about sun
protection.
Certain
genetic conditions that run in families—like xeroderma pigmentosum---also increase your risk of
skin cancer.
A history of indoor tanning
Tanning
beds and lamps obviously aren’t exposing you to natural sunlight—but they are
still exposing you to ultraviolet light, the damaging rays that tan and burn
your skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, indoor tanning
could very well be responsible for some 400,000 skin cancer cases each year in
the U.S.
Your age
Skin
cancer can occur at any age, but your risk increases as you get older, since
you’ve had more time to accumulate UV exposure. There can be quite a lag
between your blistering childhood sunburns and a skin cancer diagnosis: People
usually find non-melanoma skin cancers in their late 50s, Dr. Chon says.
"It takes time for [skin cancer] to become a problem,” she says.
"Whatever you can do to decrease how much sun exposure you’re getting
delays the onset of skin cancers."
Your sex
Men are
more likely to have all three of the major categories of skin cancer. Compared
to women, they’re twice as likely to have basal cell skin cancer, about three
times as likely to have squamous cell skin cancer, and more likely to have
melanoma too, according to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention.
The number of moles you have
Moles—those
slightly funnier-looking, freckle-like skin spots—are usually not cancerous,
but if you’re covered with the marks, you might have a higher risk of skin
cancer. Here’s a helpful trick: Count up the number of moles you can spot on
your right arm. If you see 11 or more, you probably have more than 100
across your whole body—a risk factor for melanoma, according to a 2015 study.
Too many
to count? You’re probably a good candidate for regular skin exams with a
dermatologist. "Patients who have a lot of moles are usually under more
surveillance," Dr. Chon says. That can include routine skin screenings and
taking photos of moles to keep an eye on how they change over time.
A weakened immune system
When your
body’s defenses are down, you’re more likely to develop skin cancer. Your immune system might be suppressed by certain diseases or medical
treatments, according to the American Cancer Society, like after an organ
transplant, when patients usually take meds that prevent their bodies from
rejecting the new organ.
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