DETROIT (WXYZ) — Summer sun brings a lot of fun for many, but it's also that important time of the year that folks forget to protect their skin.
Experts say, over-exposure to harmful UV rays can lead to a variety of skin cancers.
According to SkinCancer.org, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. And more than two people die due to the disease in the U.S. every hour.
Dr. Brandon Karmo, a family practice physician at Ascension-Farmington Hills says, Michigan's new skin cancer case rate is 20-percent, and its largely due to lack of awareness.
"Any change to your natural skin color is a sign of skin damage. Darker skin individuals may have a little bit less of a risk of developing cancer long term. However, the problem is generally people with darker skin, skin cancer is detected at a later stage, and they can become more fatal," said Dr. Karmo.
The prevalence of melanoma among the youth is rising especially between the ages of 25 and 29, he added.
"Brief sun exposure throughout the year can add up to significant damage to people with fair skin, these brief moments can include driving with the sunroof open, walking outside, particularly between the hours of 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm," Dr. Karmo said about the dangers of not wearing sunscreen even during times of short sun exposure.
Dr. Karmo says folks should know the ABCD’s of abnormal skin conditions.
"A is asymmetry, B is irregular borders, C is color changes, D is diameter. If the size of the mole is growing or the diameter is greater than a pencil eraser, those are the signs that you really need to have it examined," he said.
Meanwhile, a new study at Brown University shows that eating fish frequently may be linked to higher risk of skin cancer.
However, experts say fish can still be part of a healthy diet and avoiding certain types may mitigate risks.
Dr. Karmo says, "If you tend to eat a significant amount of fish throughout the week, it maybe something you could reexamine particularly fish with high level of mercury."
He added, having a healthy and balanced diet as well as applying sunscreen and sun block when you are outside in the sun are some of the best ways to prevent skin cancer and of course do not skip those regular checkups with your physician.
