With the arrival of summer, the Orange December campaign warns about skin care
Summer and the end of the year holidays have arrived and the (São Paulo State Department of Health) warns about skin care against cancer. From January to October this year, the state recorded 1,131 deaths from the disease, 5% less when compared to the same period in 2023. In the entire year 2023, 1,292 deaths from skin neoplasia were recorded. Despite this, it is important to pay attention to sun exposure and analysis of genetic issues.
The Orange December campaign reinforces prevention and early detection of the disease. During the season, outdoor activities and excessive exposure to sunlight increase, causing concern for the largest organ in the human body.
Signs of skin cancer are more common in middle-aged people, and the most common types are due to sunburn or cumulative exposure over a lifetime. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful with sun exposure from childhood.
Among the manifestations of the disease are the growth of a raised and shiny, translucent, reddish, brown, pink or multicolored lesion on the skin; existence of a black or brown mole that changes color, texture, becomes irregular at the edges and grows in size; appearance of a spot or wound that does not heal, that continues to grow, showing itching, crusting, erosions or bleeding.
“Skin cancer prevention is possible through awareness of sun protection measures and clinical assessment of moles or signs that appear on the body. To do this, it is necessary to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun between 10 and 16 hours and use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or more, reapplied every two hours.”the dermatologist at the Presidente Prudente Regional Hospital, Ana Flávia Borges.
Care must be taken with children, because excessive exposure to the sun in the first 20 years of life is decisive for the appearance of cancer in middle age. Despite the greater risk in children, it is necessary to pay attention to family history, as skin cancer may have genetic mutations that increase the risk of developing it.
With information from .
