Melanoma skin cancer increasing in Hispanics
It’s starting to warm up in the Desert Southwest so before you head out for fun in the sun, protecting yourself from the sun’s rays can avoid your chances of getting skin cancer.
Melanoma is one of the many forms of skin cancer and happens to be one of the most common in our region. Doctor Brouha from Yuma Dermatology, says it’s a case he sees at least once a week.
” It’s everywhere here, it’s unbelievably prevalent, we see almost a melanoma a week and at least three or four basil cell carcinoma a day.”
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the rate of deadly melanoma skin cancer has also increased 19 percent in Hispanics from 1992 to 2008. Dr.Brouha says it can be a little more difficult for people with a darker complexion.
“It’s surprising how common it is. It’s a little more difficult to find because it doesn’t stick out like a bright red bump on a white surface, but the same rules apply. The changing rule is the important one to look for, also looking for something that isn’t healing the right way. Those are the two main things to kind of look out for.”
Wearing sunscreen SPF 30 or higher, protective clothing when outside, and doing a self “mirror check” looking for any discoloration or irregular shapes, could save you some time.
Dr.Brouha says,”There’s a certain amount of piratically that we have to take into our life practice but you want to protect your children particularly in Yuma with consistent sunscreen. On the way out the door or in the car is probably the reasonable time to do it.”
