“Always protect your skin”, whatever it is. “Avoid exposure during the hottest hours of the day, from 11 am to 4 pm. Wear protective clothing such as a hat, clothes and sunglasses. Use a high protection sunscreen with UVA and UVB filters and apply it several times a day”. These are the main recommendations of a new social campaign created by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the San Gallicano degli Ifo Institute in Rome, the only public dermatological IRCCS. Awareness posts will be published in July and August.
“Whether you have a light, medium or dark complexion, you should always take care to protect your skin from the sun,” the experts remind us. “Exposure to the sun’s rays is an inevitable part of our daily lives, but too often we don’t pay enough attention to limiting the risks of sunburn, premature aging and, in the most serious cases, skin cancer. It is therefore important to adopt correct lifestyles from childhood, regardless of your phototype,” the specialists specify, recommending “gradual exposure to the sun; use of broad-spectrum sun filters for UVB and UVA rays, to be applied every 2 hours; protection with clothing and accessories, such as hats and glasses, if you spend a lot of time outdoors; a diet rich in foods with antioxidant properties.” They also suggest “performing regular examinations of your skin to observe any new formations or alterations to bring to the attention of your dermatologist.”
“Skin cancers are very common – explain the promoters of the new ministerial campaign – and among the main risk factors we have exposure to UV rays. The areas of skin most exposed to the sun, such as the face, scalp and neck, are those most affected, but areas such as the genitals and less exposed areas can still be involved”.
“Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin – the experts detail – represents 20-25% of skin tumors. As for the other most frequent skin tumors, namely basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, approximately 64 thousand and 12,700 new cases are observed each year, respectively. Melanoma is the most aggressive skin tumor, while ‘non-melanoma skin tumors’ are a heterogeneous group of low-grade malignant neoplasms, their development is often local and circumscribed, but if not recognized and treated promptly they could invade and damage the surrounding tissues, impacting the quality of life”.
“Dermatological screening – the Ministry of Health further indicates – allows for early diagnosis in order to intervene in the initial phase of the disease and increase the effectiveness of therapies”. For this reason “it is good to have a dermatological check-up annually or follow the follow-up indicated by the specialist if you have had melanoma or there have been cases in the family. It is essential, due to the variety of types of skin tumors and treatment opportunities, to receive the ‘right treatment for the right lesion’ and to contact centers that allow the patient to be included in a specialized and personalized path”. To learn more about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and skin tumors, the web page is available https://pazientiecittadini.it/salute-e-ricerca-per-pazienti-e-cittadini/guida-ai-tumori/melanoma-e-tumori-della-pelle/.
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