Spring 2023 9 Tune in to learn more To listen to an in-depth conversation with Katie Van Hoveln, family nurse practitioner at Riverside Healthcare Watseka Campus, go to radiomd.com/riverside/item/44737. She also advises wearing protective clothing when out in the sun (for example, wide-brim hats; sunglasses; light, long-sleeve shirts; and pants). Seek shade during the hours when the sun’s rays are the strongest, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Apply waterproof sunscreen that’s SPF 30 or higher every two hours or after swimming. And use sunscreen during the winter months as well— especially if you’re surrounded by snow, which reflects UV rays. Self-checks: The ABCDs of skin cancer Regularly seeing a dermatologist is strongly suggested, but people can also do routine selfchecks to identify any areas that have changed or morphed. “I always recommend examining your skin, from head to toe, at least once a month,” says Van Hoveln. “What you’re looking for is anything new, changing or unusual. Make sure you’re looking at your scalp, moving your hair around, looking for any new lesions. Also remember to check between your toes, fingers, even your fingernails, and just be looking for anything new, changing or unusual.” One easy way to remember what to look for: Follow the ABCDs of moles. A: asymmetry, meaning one side of the mole doesn’t look like the other. B: border, including irregular scallops or poorly defined borders. C: color—look for varying colors in the mole (tan, brown, reddish). D: diameter—any more than 6 millimeters (the size of a pencil eraser). If you identify any of the above, Van Hoveln urges making an appointment with your primary care provider. From there, it can be determined if biopsy is necessary. “If it comes back negative, that means it was not cancerous,” Van Hoveln says. “But you should continue with your monthly skin checks and report anything new or unusual. If it comes back positive, treatment depends on what type of skin cancer it is. Something like BCC, we can monitor. For melanoma, an oncology referral would be appropriate.” While it’s impossible to avoid the sun completely— and Van Hoveln doesn’t think you should have to— you can make a significant difference in skin cancer risk by practicing preventive measures and focusing on self-checks. “Go out, enjoy the sun, enjoy being outside, but just protect yourself.” “Most people don’t realize how much sunscreen we actually need to cover our entire bodies. It’s about one ounce or a shot glass full of sunscreen. You want to cover all of your body, even the parts that are covered by clothing.” —Katie Van Hoveln, NP-C
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