Skin cancer is strictly an older person’s condition, right? Not true. The fact of the matter is that skin cancer can develop at any age, just like most types of cancer.
While skin cancer risk increases with age, often because of one’s accumulated exposure to ultraviolent (UV) radiation, younger individuals can also get the condition. It is important to take note that there are many other factors that predispose you to skin cancer—not just age.
Below, you’ll learn about some of the other factors that increase your risk of developing skin cancer.
Skin Tone
If you are Caucasian, your risk for skin cancer is greater than that of people of other races, especially if you have blond or red hair, blue or green eyes, or your skin burns or freckles easily.
Gender
Men are twice as likely to develop basal cell carcinomas and are three times more likely to have squamous cell carcinomas than women
Family History
Your risk for skin cancer is higher if your parent, sibling, or child has had it. For instance, roughly 10 percent of people diagnosed with melanoma have a family history of it.
Personal History
If you have been previously diagnosed with skin cancer, you are at a greater risk of developing it again. Skin cancer can recur in the same area or somewhere else on the body. Basal cell carcinoma, for example, does recur at some other area in approximately 40 percent people who have had the condition.
Inherited Conditions
Xeroderma pigmentosum—a condition that affects the skin’s ability to repair UV damage – is an inherited disease that increases one’s risk for skin cancer, even at an early age.
Exposure to Certain Chemicals
Exposure to chemicals, such as arsenic, industrial tar, coal, paraffin, and some types of petroleum products, also increases your risk of developing certain types of non-melanoma skin cancers.
Chronic Exposure to UV Radiation
If you work outdoors during the day, spend too much time at the beach, or use tanning beds, your increased exposure to UV light also boosts your risk of developing skin cancer.
Skin Cancer Treatment in Miami, Florida
If you’ve noticed unusual changes in your skin that you think warrant expert evaluation, consult our renowned skin cancer specialist here at Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center, Dr. Theodore John “TJ” Giuffrida.
Dr. Giuffrida is one of the leading skin cancer specialists in the United States, which is why patients of all ages from around the world flock to our clinic for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. This means you couldn’t be in safer and more knowledgeable hands.
To arrange your appointment with Dr. Giuffrida, contact us today at (305) 461-2000 or use our convenient online request form.
