As the body's largest organ, your skin is important for keeping you healthy. It's your first line of defense against environmental hazards and pathogens. Because your skin is so important, you need to do what you can to protect it. A great place to start is looking at your current lifestyle and making adjustments.
Quit Smoking
Smoking has a strong association with various types of cancer, and skin cancer is one of them. It significantly increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which is the most common type of skin cancer. Quitting smoking will reduce your cancer risk, and it comes with immediate benefits too. A lot of people who quit smoking find that their appearance improves, as their skin receives more oxygen.
Seek Shade
Australia has the highest skin cancer rate in the world. High skin cancer rates in Australia have a strong association with being exposed to a lot of sun. The more times you encounter sunburn during your younger years, the higher your skin cancer risk. One way to combat this is by seeking shade as often as possible. If you live in an area where there's a lot of sunlight throughout the year, start limiting the amount of time you spend outside.
Combat Chemicals
Some individuals work in environments where exposure to certain chemicals increases their skin cancer risk. If you spend a lot of time working around arsenic, paraffin, coal and certain types of oil, you may be more likely to develop cancer than others. Although it isn't always easy to change your job, examine whether you're using all the protective measures available to you. Additionally, if you have any hereditary risk factors, investigate whether you can reduce your hours or work elsewhere.
Ask Questions
Having a family history of certain forms of skin cancer increases your risk of developing them. For example, if your mother or father developed melanoma, you have a stronger risk of developing this type of cancer too. It's worth asking your parents about whether they've developed any form of skin cancer. Being able to provide your doctor with the right information makes it easier for them to screen you for the right types.
If you're serious about protecting yourself, make sure you visit a skin cancer clinic periodically too. The clinicians there can perform examinations that reveal physical clues about your risk profile. Additionally, they can run tests that detect cancers early and make them easier to treat.
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