Local Dayton-area dermatologists will be offering free skin cancer screenings during the week of May 8-12 and May 17 to raise awareness of melanoma and other types of skin cancer.
Appointments will be available in the morning and afternoon in a variety of locations. Screenings at the Wright State Physicians Health Center will be held on Friday, May 12, from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m.
Screenings are free, but appointments are limited. To schedule an appointment, call CareFinder at 1-866-608-3463.
“During Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, we are encouraging people to check their skin and note all spots on their bodies, including moles, freckles and age spots,” said Julian Trevino, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in a release. “One in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. When caught early, skin cancer is treatable and beatable.”
According to Trevino, patients can prevent skin cancer by being in the shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., generously applying water-resistant sunscreen with a SPF of 30 or higher, wearing protective clothing, using extra caution by water, snow or sand and avoiding tanning beds.
More than three million Americans are diagnosed with basal and squamous cell cancers annually, according to the American Cancer Society.
Melanoma will account for more than 87,000 cases of skin cancer in 2017, and more than 9,000 deaths. If found in an early stage, there is a high chance of a cure.
Warning signs of melanoma include change in size, shape or color of a mole.
