MERIDIAN, Idaho — A recent CDC report shows that Idaho exceeds the US average for skin cancer cases per capita.
Melanoma and skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in Idaho, a trend not uncommon across the mountain states due to the high elevation and outdoor lifestyle.
Meridian dermatologist Dr. Scott Thomas believes that Idahoans should be wearing sunscreen more often than we think.
“Use a daily sunscreen with moisturizer or make-up, just making that part of your routine,” says Thomas.
It's important to wear sunscreen when you’re at the pool or out hiking, even if it’s not hot and sunny out. “When it's cloudy out, or overcast, in the fall or spring, you want to make sure you're wearing sunscreen,” cautions Thomas.
There are a lot of discussions online, and on social media, about SPF levels and sunscreen ingredients.
“Sunscreen is a big topic right now, so I try to do my best research. It’s hard, as a mom, to know what the right thing to do is, especially with all of the different opinions,” says Angelia Young.
What qualifies as a “good” sunscreen to use?
“30 is, kind of, the magic number,” Thomas tells his patients. “Beyond that, you want to see that it says broad spectrum. And if you want to be really educated you can look on the back at the active ingredients. You want to look for physical blockers such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, the other ingredients are chemical blockers and while they are better than nothing, they don’t work quite as well as physical blockers.”
Ideally, people should reapply every two hours, if that's too much, Thomas advises considering protective clothing.
“The most common location for Melanoma in young women is the leg, and for us guys, it's the trunk,” says Thomas.
Other than those places, your head, neck, hands, and arms are typically the most vulnerable areas of the body to be exposed to the sun.
“I've had a lot of moles and stuff removed," says Young. "None of them have come back cancerous, luckily. I probably need to go to the Dermatologist more often instead of social media.”
While the number of skin cancer cases continues to rise, the death rate from Melanoma is very low. The key to staying healthy is said to be vigilant in self-inspection and early detection.
