What You Need To Know About Skin Cancer
- Caitlyn Melville, girlfriend of soccer star Leigh Griffiths is now cancer-free after a second battle with skin cancer. She announced the good news on her Instagram account.
- It’s not clear what kind of skin cancer Melville was fighting, but skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with over 5 million new cases each year.
- Experts recommend several steps that can help prevent skin cancer, including regularly using sunscreen, avoiding the sun during peak hours, covering exposed skins and forgoing tanning beds.
Caitlyn Melville revealed the good news by taking to social media and posting a picture on Instagram. In it, Melville is holding a plate emblazoned with the message: "Congratulations on kicking cancer’s butt."
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Melville has occasionally updated fans on her health. Back in May, 2021 she took to Instagram in honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
"Don't normally do posts like this since my operations but it's weird how I've felt I wanted to this year," she wrote. "I don't know if it's because sunbeds and sunny holidays have been off limits for so long that there now is such a buzz about them that there wasn't before? Keep seeing and hearing so many people saying how they've ‘hammered the sunbeds’ and ‘can't wait to get away to fry myself’ so maybe that's why this year is the year."
"Anyway," she continued. "I'm absolutely not here to preach to people not to use sunbeds or go on holiday and get a tan? but just please be careful. Everyone always thinks "it won't happen to me" just like I did and then it WAS me. If you do anything this month please check any moles/freckles incase they have changed or incase new ones have appeared. If you are worried SEE your GP. All they can say is no it's nothing to worry about or investigate quickly – it's a win win. Stay safe."
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According to The Daily Record, Melville first revealed she had cancer for a second time two months ago and that she had undergone several tests, a biopsy and three surgeries while awaiting her results.
Melville’s partner, Leigh Griffiths, is a popular Scottish soccer player who currently plays striker for Falkirk.
Which Sunscreen Should I Choose To Prevent Skin Cancer?
What You Need To Know About Skin Cancer
It’s unclear what form of skin cancer Melville was battling, but the Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that over 5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year, making it the most common cancer in the United States.
Skin cancers more commonly occur on parts of the body that tend to get more sun like the face, head, neck and arms, but they can develop anywhere on the body, including places like the bottoms of your feet, your genitals and inside your mouth.
A recent report from the D.C.-based non-profit, Environmental Working Group (EWG), says that many types of sunscreen are not "properly protecting users from harmful radiation that can cause melanoma or other skin issues," and many people don't know that you can still develop skin cancer, even without ever getting a sunburn.
Of course, the safest way to avoid getting skin cancer is by staying out of the sun, period, but we know that's no fun. As far as sun protection goes, the EWG advises to skip the spray version of sunscreens "because of difficulty with proper application, potential ingredient toxicity and inhalation concerns."
Furthermore, they determined that higher SPF products values "have not been shown to provide greater clinical benefit than those with lower values" and may actually be giving consumers a "false sense of security."
How To Protect Yourself
Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, previously spoke with SurvivorNet about how to best reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Here are her top five ways to try to avoid the disease:
- Avoid sun during peak hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect the tops of our heads, the tops of our ears and the delicate area around the eye.
- Wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen and make sure to reapply every two hours or after excessive sweating or swimming.
- Have yearly skin checks (with a professional) because it's difficult to evaluate areas all over the body.
- Avoid tanning beds. There are no "good" tanning beds, and they can significantly increase your risk of skin cancer.
"My patients ask me all the time, 'Do I really need sunscreen every day, all year round?' The answer is yes," Dr. Engelman previously told SurvivorNet. "People think they only need sun protection when they're in the bright, warm sunshine. But the reality is, we can get sun damage at any time throughout the year, even in the cold, wintry months. Think about when you go skiing. That's a very high risk. Even though it's cold, our skin should be protected."
Top Five Ways To Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer
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