Weekly Health News 06/11 The top of your noggin?
- From: "california_chief" <Fire_Chief@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:49:03 -0700
A heads-up
Your scalp is vulnerable to skin cancer
By Meg Nugent
April 24, 2007
The seasons of the sun are upon us, and, in a noble attempt to heed the
pleas of your skin health professional, you strive to protect your face,
shoulders, back, arms and legs from the ravages of ultraviolet rays.
But what about the top of your noggin?
"They're out in the sun, baking themselves at soccer or baseball games,
applying sunblock to their body and not thinking about their scalps. And
that's a problem," said Jeanine Downie, director of a dermatology clinic in
Montclair, N.J., and a member of
the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Skin cancers of the scalp account for about 2 percent of all skin cancers,
according to statistics provided by the American Society for Dermatologic
Surgery. That's about 20,000 to 40,000 skin cancers of the scalp each year.
We tend to assume our scalp is protected from the sun as long as we have
plenty of hair up there. But that's not necessarily so, dermatologists say.
"Somebody with thinning or no hair is more vulnerable. However, within a
thick head of hair, things aren't caught as early because you can't see it,"
said Downie.
Skin cancers on the scalp are detected relatively late because they're
usually on the top of the scalp or on a part of the scalp that you can't see
easily. To avoid skin cancers, sunscreen alone isn't enough.
"People rely so heavily on sunscreen," said Coyle Connolly, a dermatologist
practicing in New Jersey.
Connolly, who views sunscreen as the "third-tier protection," said you
should also wear a hat, preferably one with a broad brim and a tight weave,
that covers your scalp, as well as your face and neck.
Protect your eyes, as well, with sunglasses, since your eyes can develop
skin cancer.
You need to do regular self-exams of your scalp, using a mounted mirror and
a hand-held mirror to help you survey areas you cannot see, and use a blow
dryer to part the hair away from the scalp.
"You have to be vigilant. Don't always think about the sun. Know what's on
your scalp," said Connolly.
He explained that, unlike other skin cancers, melanoma has a genetic
component and "may not need the sun" to develop.
This explains why melanoma can be found in places that do not normally come
in contact with sunlight, such as under the nails and on the palms of the
hands and soles of the feet.
Don't be afraid to let your fingers explore your scalp, too. This can help
you detect conditions that may be precursors to cancer and can be easily
eliminated through treatment. Precursors to squamous cell carcinoma tend to
appear as bumps that are
scaly, scabby or crusty in texture and sometimes bleed.
You should also seek the trained eye of a dermatologist to get an annual
physical exam of your skin. This is especially important if you or your
family has a history of skin cancer, if your skin is fair, if you tend to
have a lot of moles or if you have
experienced sustained exposure to the sun over the years.
"Check for moles and make sure they're not changing dramatically," Connolly
advised.
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