Experts urge skin cancer prevention as summer approaches

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and with summer approaching, experts say now is the time to pay attention.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United State with more than five million people diagnosed every year, according to Sarah Widener, Med Center Health director of Health and Wellness.

Skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers.

Prevention tips

“Some great ways to prevent and be proactive against skin cancer are going to be #1 sunscreen. So wearing an SPF broad spectrum, the SPF 30 or greater before we go out in the sun,” she explained. “Also keeping in mind that the UV rays are going to be highest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. So avoiding extended periods in the sun at those times is going to be important.”

Widener said knowing your personal risk of skin cancer is important because some individuals have a higher risk than others. She recommends early detection.

Monthly skin checks

“On the safe side, you do want to be doing monthly skin checks. So checking your skin out, seeing if you’ve got any changes, anything that’s popped up you don’t recognize,” Widener said. “Some other things that you can do are having your hairstylist look through your scalp. So when you get your hair done because you can’t see your scalp, have them look through. Having somebody check the back of your ears, your necks, some places that you can’t see is important as well.”

During a skin check, people should look for any new marks or unusual spots on their skin that weren’t there before.

Gene Birk’s discovery

WBKO’s Gene Birk discovered he has skin cancer by checking his skin.

“I was just getting dressed to go to work and I was in the bathroom, looked in the mirror, turned around for some reason, I don’t even know why, and I saw this mark on my back and it was about as big as a dime and red and it wasn’t supposed to be there. I knew that much. And so showed my wife and we had me go to the doctor, our family doctor,” he said.

Birk received a biopsy from a dermatologist.

“It came back as basal cell carcinoma, which they tell me is the slowest moving cancer you can have. If you gotta have cancer, it’s the best one to have, so that’s the good news,” he said.

The long-time anchor will be visiting the doctor again on Monday to ensure all the cancer is gone.