What skin CANCER?! ☀️ May is Skin Cancer awareness month. This month I hold dear to my heart🤍 about 10 years ago I was hit with the bad news no one wants to hear. You have skin cancer. What ME? I’m Hispanic and with dark skin how can this happen?? Guess what it can happen to anyone at any age. Wanted to share my story to help bring awareness to help save lives. I was fortunate to catch it on time. Had a skin graft where the Melanoma was removed with 4 lymph nodes in my upper thigh also removed. Never thought I had to learn how to use my foot again. Being in the cast and bed ridden for 3 months was definitely a challenge. I was blessed to be able to have a second chance to be with my loved one a see the positive things out of this experience. With over 5 million cases diagnosed in the United States each year, skin cancer is America’s most common cancer. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers. By sharing facts about the dangers of unprotected sun exposure and encouraging people to check their skin for warning signs, we can and will save lives. Skin cancer is primarily caused by cumulative exposure to UV or sunlight. Yes that means TANNING BEDS
By following the guidelines below you will reduce the risk of excessive UV light exposure: * Protect yourself from the sun at all times by wearing UPF50+ sun protective clothing, a broadbrim UPF50+ sun hat and sunglasses. * Seek shade between the hours of 10am and 4pm * Go outside only if absolutely necessary when the UV index is high, very high or extreme * Apply a broad-specturm sunscreen with SPF30 or above 30 mins before UV exposure and reapply every 2 hours. * Avoid purposely seeking a sun tan or using a sun-bed/solarium. #thisisskincancer #sharethefacts #skincancer #melanoma #sun #exposure #prevention