Skin Cancer: It's Not Going to Happen to Me. Right?
The MetaOptima Team | Feb 22, 2017 | MoleScope Tips Resources
In 2016, over 2 million people around the world were diagnosed with skin cancer. Everyone can agree that this needs to change. But how?
The best way to prevent skin cancer from spreading is to get right to the source of the matter: you! Doctors are a great tool for helping you diagnose your moles and spots, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t jumpstart this process and take a look for yourself. There are lots of helpful tools and websites out there that can help you feel safe in your skin and be sure about your lesions. Sites like MetaOptima’s Skin Check page, and the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Information Page offer helpful pictures and instructions for how to perform self-checks, as well as provide helpful information about how to prevent skin cancer altogether.
Almost no one thinks about skin cancer until they or a loved one experience it for themselves. Health.com shares the stories of three people that found out they had skin cancer. All three had suspicious moles that went undetected for too long- “it's crucial to regularly look at your own skin, and to speak up if you spot something suspicious on someone else's.” Their takeaway message from this experience was the same: see a doctor if you have any uncertainty about a spot, and never hesitate to perform a self check- it could save your skin. Literally! No one is invincible to skin cancer, not even Hugh Jackman, who recently had his fifth case of basal cell carcinoma removed from his nose. Wolverine might be a great fighter, but everyone needs support sometimes. Don’t leave something like cancer to chance when you can do something to prevent it now!
Not sure how to get started? That’s okay too! There are plenty of websites (like the ones above) and tools like MoleScope that want to teach people how to have healthy skin and manage their moles with ease. There are also free websites to help you detect early stage skin cancer, like the Skin Cancer Foundation’s portable Early Detection Tool, the National Cancer Foundations Melanoma Risk Assessment Quiz, and how to identify suspicious lesions. With all of the technology and support out there, you never have to feel alone when it comes to cancer. Taking that jump in courage to check your skin for cancer can be a challenge, but it is more than worth your time. Instead of asking yourself, “what if something happens?”, TELL yourself “this is my day to make a change”. Skin cancer awareness groups, doctors, and MetaOptima support your choice, and looks forward to your future of healthy skin.
Feeling confident? Take the Skin Cancer Quiz to see if you can tell the difference between regular and abnormal spots! Feel free to try as many times as you like- practice makes perfect. Don’t forget to visit Molescope.com if you want to learn more!