Fun in the sun can lead to skin cancer without proper protection
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – “Skin cancer is greater than all the other cancers put together, so it is real common,” said Dr. Phillip Hooker, Owner of Skin and Allergy Clinic
Skin cancer forms from the smallest blister on your body, and it often comes from too much exposure to sun rays. Dr. Phillip Hooker is the owner of the Skin and allergy clinic in West Point. He says if you have to work in the sun, you should cover up as much as you possibly can.
“Covering up is the best thing, and next is sunscreen. The sunscreen only screens the sun, and it does not block it. You can use sunscreen lotion to help screen it out, and I like for patients to wear a big grandpa hat that shades the ears and the neck. Caps will not shade your ears and neck, and we see a lot of skin cancer on ears and necks,” said Hooker.
Joe Miller is the job safety and training coordinator at the 4-County Electric Power Association in Columbus. He says making sure his linemen are safe while they are outside, is his top priority.
“We have safety glasses that we use, and we have hard hats that we use. We even have extra visors that go around them,” said Miller.
Self-evaluations will not hurt. Hooker said it is always a good idea to examine yourself after a long day of sweating.
“When at home, check yourself and look at yourself every month. When you take a bath, go over your skin, and also take a hand mirror and check out your back. A mole can pop up on your back that may not be a mole, it might be a melanoma. Melanoma is the worst skin cancer because it is the one that causes the most deaths,” said Hooker.
Miller said he has seen the results of some of his workers not taking a few extra minutes to cover up their skin.
“They will have to go to a dermatologist and sometimes they may have to take a piece of their ears or face off, from it being so exposed to the sun rays,” said Miller.
Hooker said every time you get a sunburn; it doubles your chances of getting skin cancer later.
