As you may already know, May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Last May, I published one of my first articles about the topic, which was very well received not just by readers, but also by the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF). They appreciated my spreading awareness about the importance of sun protection and screening/early detection and offered me the opportunity to interview their executive director, Timothy Turnham, to learn more. Tim graciously granted me not one but two interviews to discuss melanoma, and also to get the scoop on the new 2012 FDA sunscreen labeling regulations which are now taking effect.
In this post, I’ll dispel five of the most common myths surrounding melanoma, and share some facts.
The REAL facts regarding 5 of the most popular melanoma myths and misinformation:
- MYTH: Only fair-skinned Caucasian people can get melanoma. This is FALSE. According to the MRF, “although melanoma is most common in Caucasians, melanoma can strike men and women of all ages, all races and all skin types.”
- MYTH: Young people don’t get melanoma. FALSE. “The incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other demographic group, soaring by 50 percent in young women since 1980…Melanoma primarily affects individuals in the prime years of life,?is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.”
- MYTH: Melanoma is not a fatal form of cancer. FALSE. The MRF’s “It’s a Fact Sheet” states that while “most melanoma is curable in the early stages with an over 90% survival rate, it has the ability, in later stages, to spread to other parts of the body – most often the brain, lungs and liver…it is estimated that this year there will be 70,230 new cases and 8,790 people will die from melanoma.”
- MYTH: I won’t get melanoma as long as I don’t sit out in the sun…tanning beds are fine. FALSE, FALSE, FALSE! “Exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases a person?s risk of developing melanoma by 75%, and younger people who regularly use tanning beds are eight times more likely to develop melanoma than people who have never used them. Occasional use of tanning beds triples their chances.”
- MYTH: I’m not at risk for melanoma if the sun’s not shining. Also FALSE. UV radiation can reflect off of surfaces such as snow, ice, water, and sand regardless of how many clouds are in the sky or what the temperature happens to be. Use caution when outdoors all year round.
I don’t share these statistics to scare you, but the fact is that unlike many other skin cancers, many people out there really don’t understand how severe melanoma is when left undetected. 
I know it can take a really long time to get an appointment at the dermatologist, but go ahead and make the appointment for your annual skin check (they might want to see you more often if you have lots of moles).
If you have a dark spot, mole, freckle, strangely textured area of your skin that is new or has changed in any way make sure you tell them so they can expedite your appointment. You can also make an appointment with your primary care provider in the meantime, who might be able to say yay or neigh to whether or not the lesion is suspicious.
Regardless, make it a priority to get checked out and take proper precautions to prevent melanoma.
