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Check skin regularly.

You can improve your chances of finding precancerous skin conditions, such as actinic keratosis--a dry, scaly, reddish, and slightly raised lesion--and skin cancer by performing simple skin self-exams regularly. The earlier you identify signs and see a doctor, the greater the chances for successful treatment.

The best time to do skin exams is after a shower or bath. Get used to your birthmarks, moles and blemishes so that you know what they usually look like and then can easily identify any changes they undergo. Signs to look for are changes in size, texture, shape, and color of blemishes or a sore that does not heal.

If you find any changes, see your doctor. Also, during regular checkups, ask your doctor to check your skin.

The more of these practices you can incorporate into your life, the greater your chances of reducing the damage sun can cause. And by teaching these same practices to your children, you can help them get off to a lifetime of safer sun practices.

Who's Most at Risk?

Take extra care to protect babies and children from the sun. Studies show that one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager could increase the risk for melanoma, an often fatal form of skin cancer.

You need to be especially careful to play it safe in the sun if you:

• have fair skin; blond, red, or light brown hair; and blue green, or gray eyes
• have freckles and burn before tanning
• spend a lot of time outdoors
• were previously treated for skin cancer
• have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
• work indoors all week and then try to catch up on your tan on weekends
• live or vacation at high altitudes (ultraviolet radiation from the sun increases 4 to 5 percent for every 1,000 feet above sea level)
• live or vacation close to the equator
• have certain diseases, such as lupus erythematosus
• take certain medicines, including:
  • acne medicines
  • antibiotics, such as tetracyclines
  • antihistamines
  • oral contraceptives containing estrogen
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen sodium
  • phenothiazines (major tranquilizers and anti-nausea drugs)
  • sulfa drugs
  • tricyclic antidepressants
  • thiazide diuretics
  • sulfonylureas, such as oral anti-diabetics.

Ask your doctor about the risk of any medicines you may be taking that could be harmful to you when you are in the sun. (See "Chemical Photosensitivity: Another Reason to Be Careful in the Sun" in the May 1996 FDA Consumer.)

Monthly Skin Self-Examination

1. Examine your body, front and back, in the mirror, then the right and left sides with arms raised.
2. Examine back of neck and scalp with the help of a hand mirror--part hair or use blow dryer to lift hair and give you a close look.
3. Check back and buttocks with hand mirror.
4. Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, upper underarms, and palms.
5. Look at backs of the legs and feet, including the soles and spaces between toes.

^{Paula Kurtzweil is a member of FDA's public affairs staff.
reproduced from Publication No. (FDA) 97-1252}