Skin Cancer Knowledge - And Sunscreen - Can Save Lives

Rusty Surette, News On 6

When it comes to your body, sometimes you need to do a little detective work in order to live longer. With summer in full swing, we want to show you the best way to stop skin cancer.

You won't see too much skin, but what you will see is how easy a screening can be. You'll also find out what you should be looking for right now on your own body.

The first thing we did was fill out a form that asks some basic question. It was step one in a surprisingly short skin cancer screening.

My first ever.

First, here's what you should know about skin cancer.

• It can affect one out of every five people
• At most risk are those with fair skin, red or blonde hair and light-colored eyes.
• Also at risk are those who spend a lot of time in the sun.

Some like Eddie Hembree of Perry.

"I've had surgery on my neck, front and back, on my arms," Hembree said.

Eddie grew up on a farm in Perry, worked in an oil field for 20 years and now has a daily reminder of how sinful the sun can be. His doctor says it's important for all of us to be able to detect skin cancer in its early stages.

"When melanoma is caught early, it's curable," said Dr. Tiffany Brazeal of St. Anthony Dermatology.

"It's when it's not caught early and it gets deeper into the skin, it has the chance of spreading to other parts of the body."

Here are some warning signs to look for.

• If any of your spots have one half that looks different from the other.
• If it has an irregular or poorly defined border.
• If you have a mole that has a variety of shades or colors
• Or if your mole is evolving in either size, shape or color.

Now, back to my test. The doctor found a lot of maybes - but thankfully, nothing to worry about. But doctors say even if you can't get to their office right away, a monthly self-exam may be enough to save your life.

Doctors say when you're out in the sun, make sure you're using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.