Linda Baird Jansen’s hairdresser was the first to notice a strange spot on her ear.
“Thank God for my hairdresser, because I never look at my ears,” says Baird Jansen, of Hummelstown. It was 2010, and the find would turn out to be the first of several basal cell cancers on Baird Jansen’s face and head.
Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are rarely deadly, but they occur 3.5 million times in 2 million Americans every year. They are easily treated, but they can leave scars and could recur. Without treatment, they can spread into bone and tissue, causing irreversible damage.
Whether or not you’re fair-skinned, it’s important to understand the risks and to take simple steps to prevent damaged skin from becoming cancerous skin.
Who’s at Risk?
Fair-skinned people are at greater risk for skin cancers because “they have less natural protection against the sun,” says Dr. Jennifer A. Sceppa, Dermatology Associates of Lancaster (www.dermlanc.com).
There’s no way to predict who will get melanoma, the type of skin cancer that’s treatable if found early but can spread to other parts of the body, or the basal and squamous cell cancers that are less dangerous but can invade surrounding bone and tissues if left untreated.
“We do know that once you had one type of skin cancer, you’re more likely to get another type of skin cancer or one of the skin cancers you’ve gotten,” says Sceppa.
Damage Accumulates
Yes, childhood sunburns heighten the risk of skin cancers, but as Sceppa says, “It’s never too late to take precautions.”
Sun damage is cumulative and can tip a damaged cell into becoming cancerous, says Dr. Elizabeth M. Billingsley of Penn State Hershey Dermatology (www.pennstatehershey.org).
“Five minutes here, 10 minutes there, 20 minutes going out for a quick walk, and it does add up,” she says.
Baird Jansen and her husband own a Juniata County vineyard, so she can’t avoid spending time outdoors. Getting skin cancer on her ear alerted her that a baseball cap isn’t enough protection, so she sewed on bandannas that cover her ears, neck and shoulders.
“And I look like a dork on the lawnmower,” she admits. “I’m very faithful with my sunscreen, with my covering up, but I have to be outdoors. We have a farm.”
Protection is the Best Policy
There are two types of sunblocks, physical and chemical. In physical sunblocks, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide act as barriers to UV rays. Esthetically, they’ve improved from the thick white paste that lifeguards once used, but they still “may not be cosmetically elegant,” says Billingsley.
Chemical sunscreens, such as oxybenzone, render UV rays inert.
“I tell patients to find something that feels good on their skin, because if you have something that feels good on your skin, you’re going to use it,” says Billingsley.
The key to effectiveness is applying sunscreen frequently and using enough. Apply every two hours, or every hour if you’re sweaty or wet, because sunscreen becomes less effective as the sun wears it down. How much is enough? Believe it or not, a full-body application requires a full ounce, or about a shot glass-full.
“The average sunscreen bottle might be eight to 10 ounces,” says Sceppa. “Your sunscreen bottle should last eight applications, not the entire summer.”
Apply moisturizer with sunscreen in the morning to protect against incidental exposure all day, such as the dash to the car. “I tell my patients that it’s easier than flossing,” says Billingsley.
Avoiding the sun and tanning beds and covering up with clothing is even better than slathering on sunscreen.
“I would much rather put on a sun-protective shirt than make sure I’m diligent about putting on sunscreen,” says Sceppa. “It doesn’t rub off.”
Watch for the Signs
Melanoma shows itself in a changing mole, say dermatologists. Basal and squamous cell cancers can be pink bumps, scaly spots, or lesions that don’t heal.
Basal and squamous cell cancers should be checked because they can invade surrounding tissues, disfiguring the eyes, nose and mouth.
“They will continue to grow over time and can become quite large and ulcerated,” says Sceppa. “It’s best to treat them when they’re small.”
Treatment can involve scraping or cutting out the cancer, followed by plastic surgery if needed. Baird Jansen, a self-employed physical therapist, has endured procedures to remove cancers from her ear, nose, eye and forehead. Her face had the black eyes and “red and puffy and peeling” nose to show for it, prompting her husband to nickname her “Rocky Rudolph.”
“I don’t consider myself a vain person, but when your nose is twice its size and your eyes are black, who wants to go to work?” she says. Still, she’s fortunate to have the full support of her husband, Ed Jansen.
“My husband and I believe totally that beauty is within and not on the surface, but neither of us have jobs where our livelihoods are dependent upon our looks,” she says. “He’s been wonderful.”
With proper care, the damage that the sun has done to skin “can just stay as damage and not become cancerous,” says Billingsley.
“You can’t undo what you did in the past, but you can always start going forward and preventing further damage,” she says.
Find more on prevention tips and treatment options from the American Academy of Dermatology, www.aad.org.
