Health & Environment

Skin Cancer Prevention Tips from NEW Health

Posted on Author North End Waterfront HealthComment(1)

by Mary Wright, RN, Health Educator at North End Waterfront Health

May is “National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.” Skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent.

Some tips to help prevent skin cancer include:

  •  Use sunscreen everyday; even in the winter. Be sure it is water resistant and has an SPF of 15 or higher. Use at least 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) to cover your body.
  • Apply 30 minutes before going into the sun and reapply every 30 minutes if swimming.
  • Stay out of the sun between 10 am and 3 pm. Remember the “shadow rule”: if you shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s UV radiation is the strongest. If  longer than you, the radiation is less intense.
  •  Wear a hat, long sleeves and pants when in the sun.
  •  Avoid tanning booths.

Risk factors for skin cancer include:

  • Having light skin.
  • Having many moles.
  • Having a family history of skin cancer.

The ABCD guidelines of what to look for in moles:

  • A – asymmetry. The shape is different on the sides.
  •  B – border. The border has jagged edges.
  • C – color. The color is different though out the mole.
  • D – diameter. The mole is larger than the size of a pencil eraser.

If you have any of these signs, contact your health care provider. For more information contact the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.

Related Articles
Business Health & Environment

NEW Health Distributes PPE Supplies to North End Restaurants

Posted on Author North End Waterfront Health

North End Waterfront (NEW) Health distributed a range of PPE supplies to restaurants throughout the North End on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. The effort follows September’s virtual Taste of the North End food festival, from which a portion of funds raised was directed to assisting the neighborhood restaurants as they face the immense challenges brought on by Read More…
Announcements Health & Environment

New Health Program Partners with Centers to Expand Access to HIV Prevention Medication

Posted on Author NEW Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently launched Ready, Set, PrEP, a national program that makes medications for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), taken daily to prevent HIV, available at no cost to people without prescription drug insurance coverage. HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Center program will support Ready, Set, PrEP by working closely with Read More…
Health & Environment

February is “National Kids Dental Health Month”

Posted on Author NEW Health

  February is “National Kids Dental Health Month.” Here are some guidelines for good dental health for your child: Ages 4—24 months: • Every child should have their first dental appointment before age 1. • You should wash their gums with a wash cloth after each feeding. • You can brush new teeth with a Read More…

One Reply to “Skin Cancer Prevention Tips from NEW Health”

Comments are closed.