May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Throughout May we’ll be bringing you a variety of posts that highlight topics specifically to do with Melanoma and sun skin damage. Today’s post is about how important partners can be when it comes to Home Skin Exams and monitoring each other’s skin health.
Recently, we posted a piece about how important it is to have a doctor check out the areas of the skin that a patient can’t see with his or her own eyes. People in relationships or marriages, however, enjoy an added advantage. They have someone around them who can more frequently check the back, ears, and other areas that he or she can’t see themselves. And vice-versa.
Skin Cancer is the Most Common Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common cancer all over the world, and it absolutely can begin on areas of the skin that aren’t often, if ever, exposed to the sun. So make it a habit every month or so to literally check each other out. You can turn it into a fun time, or even a romantic one if you want. Hey, whatever you crazy adults do is your own business. Whatever your antics of choice are though, the key is that your skin is checked.
One “good” thing about skin cancer and Melanoma is that unlike other diseases, it’s almost always visible from its outset. That’s important because, as you may have read elsewhere on this blog, the cure (and survival) rate for Melanoma goes up dramatically if it’s caught in its earliest stages. So look for skin blemishes or moles that are irregularly shaped, have changed colors, or are itchy, red or emitting fluids.
More often than not it’s the patient who discovers the beginning of Melanoma before his or her doctor does. It doesn’t take a doctor to notice the changes outlined above though, which is why couples can really help each other by, uh, staying on top of the issue.
With that said, remember that unless your partner actually is a doctor or dermatologist, make sure you notify your own physician as quickly as possible after discovery so that your finding(s) can be professionally, medically evaluated.
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