Skin cancer rates for younger people are rising

Skin cancer rates for younger Canadians are climbing, however the number of dermatologists available is set to decline over the next several years.

The Canadian Dermatology Association says Canadians born in the 1990s are two to three times more likely to get skin cancer in their lifetime, compared with those born in the 1960s.

The lifetime risk of melanoma for Canadian men is now 1 in 74, for women 1 in 90. By comparison, the lifetime risk for Americans in the 1930s was 1 in 1,500, the association says.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It frequently starts out as a colored mole or spot, however can spread quickly to surrounding skin and organs. Melanomas make up only one or two per cent of all skin cancers, but they are the type most likely to be fatal.

The American Cancer Society says skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million cases diagnosed every year.

Recognizing which strength of sunscreen to apply is often difficult.  The SPF or sun protection factors range from single digits into the 80’s. Once you hit an SPF of approximately, you are getting nearly 98 to 99 percent protection. If you’re paying a lot more money for anything beyond a 40 you’re basically wasting your money

Dermatologists offer two big tips in addition to applying sunscreen:

• Wear tightly-woven clothes, and be cautious near water and sand since they reflect the sun’s damaging rays.

• The sun’s rays are normally the most dangerous between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., lower sun exposure during those times.

Only one blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life. According to one US study, 54 percent of children become sunburned or tanned in their second summer, versus 22 percent in their first.