Summer is here, and you’re probably itching to spend hours outside. But before you spend long summer days outside soaking up the sun, it’s important to remember those golden rays play a big part in causing the most common form of cancer — skin cancer.

And skin cancer isn’t just from exposure to the sun — it can appear in non-sun exposed areas of your body as well. Get ready to stock up on sunscreen and start taking a closer look at those moles and spots on your body with tips to stay on top of caring for your skin, and reducing your risk of skin cancer.

Skin cancer causes and types

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells, usually from prolonged sun exposure. While about 90% of cases are caused by UV rays, other risks include fair skin, lots of moles, tanning bed use, and family history.

There are three main types:

1. Basal cell carcinoma

Often appears in sun-exposed areas as a white bump, scar-like spot, or sore that heals but keeps coming back.

2. Squamous cell carcinoma

Also sun-related, but in people with darker skin, it may show up in unexposed areas. Looks like firm red nodules or crusty flat lesions.

3. Melanoma

The most serious type. Can start in a mole or on normal skin—even without sun exposure. Watch for dark spots with irregular color, shape, or texture, or moles that change or bleed.

If you’ve got lots of moles, make regular skin checks part of your routine—early detection makes all the difference.

Prevention and sun safety

There is a silver lining in all of this, and that is that most skin cancers are preventable. To help reduce your risk of getting skin cancer, these are some easy things you can do.

Avoid the sun during peak hours, from 11am to 3pm For children, it’s especially important to keep them out of the sun when its rays are the strongest, between 12pm to 2pm.

For children under one year, avoid direct sun exposure by taking long walks early in the morning or later in the day, and cover them under a large canopy. Babies can wear sunscreen but wearing protective clothing like sun hats and avoiding direct sun exposure is best.

Adults should wear sunscreen 365 days a year. Make sure it’s at least SPF 30, and reapply it every two hours or less if you’re swimming or sweating. Adults should also wear protective clothing like hats with wide brims (bonus: these just happen to be in fashion right now), and clothing that covers your arms and legs.

Steer clear of tanning beds. Tanning beds operate with UV lights, which are damaging to your skin, and could lead to skin cancer.

Keep an eye on your moles, and get them checked often. Detecting a cancerous mole before it spreads gives you the highest rate of survival.

When to get care

If you notice anything on your skin is changing, itching, or bleeding, speak to a dermatologist. If you observe new, rapidly growing moles, or moles that bleed, itch, or change colour, this is often an early warning sign of melanoma, and you should get care from a professional as soon as possible. Early detection could save your life. When melanoma is caught early,  the cure rate is over 95%. If melanoma isn’t detected early on and advances to stage four, the cancer spreads to other parts of the body like the lungs, brain, and liver, making it harder to treat. One easy thing you can do is look for the “ABCDE’s” of moles:

A – asymmetrical shape

B – irregular borders

C – multiple colours

D – increasing diameter and darker than other moles

E – evolution

Not sure where to start? Consult with a primary care provider through Maple to discuss your skin concerns and get a referral to a specialist if needed.

The information presented here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace the advice from your medical professional.

When using virtual care, all medical treatment is at the sole discretion of the provider. Virtual care is not meant for medical emergencies, and your provider will determine if your case is appropriate for virtual care. If you are experiencing an emergency like chest pain or difficulties breathing, for example, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

These tips originally appeared in an article from Maple’s blog: https://www.getmaple.ca/blog/skin-cancer-prevention-how-to-reduce-risk/