Summer is upon us, and everyone is spending more time outdoors. For this reason, May is skin cancer prevention and detection month. Skin cancer is the leading cause of cancer in this country and is increasing in epidemic numbers.

There are three types of skin cancer. Basal cell is the most common. It is usually found on the face, neck and hands—areas of the body that are exposed to the sun. It usually begins as a small nodule that looks waxy, translucent with pearly borders or shiny, flat,or gray plaques. It does not metastasize but can continue to spread locally if not treated.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second-most-common skin cancer and is also found on sun-exposed skin. It appears as a rough, thickened, scaly patch or an ulcerated lesion. It can spread to other parts of the body in 5 percent to 15 percent of patients.

The most serious skin cancer is malignant melanoma. Fortunately, it is not as common as the other two types. However, it can metastasize rapidly. Early detection is critical to successful treatment. Melanoma also is related to sun exposure but may be found on any part of the body, including the back, trunk, arms and legs. Typically, melanoma presents as a dark pigmented mole that is irregularly shaped and may have others colors present.

The ABC's of melanoma detection are:

• Asymmetry. A lesion that is not symmetrical is a prime suspect for melanoma. If you folded the mole in half, the top would not match the bottom or one side match the other.
• Borders. Melanomas typically have irregular borders.
• Color. Melanomas can develop a variety of colors within the lesion.
• Diameter. Small moles less than 6 millimeters usually are not a concern, but those larger than 6 millimeters are of concern and need to be checked by a health professional. For comparison, a pencil eraser is about 6 millimeters in diameter.

There are ways to prevent skin cancer. Most people have attained 80 percent of their skin exposure by the time they are 18. Therefore, pProtection of children from the sun should start from infancy.

What are the steps to prevention?

• Slip on a shirt.
• Slap on a hat. Baseball caps don't protect the ears, which are a common site for basal and squamous cell carcinomas.
• Slop on sunscreen. Sunscreen needs to have at least a 15 SPF, sun protection factor. For many people, an SPF of 30 to 45 is a wiser choice. The higher the number, the more the protection. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and every time a person gets out of the water, regardless of what the instructions on the bottle say.

Those who have fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes are most at risk for skin cancer, but it can happen to anyone regardless of skin type. For information on skin types or characteristics of skin cancers, please see your parish nurse.