Skin cancer screenings available to the public
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)-The Skin Cancer Foundation and their 'Destination Healthy Skin' RV are making a visit to Idaho Falls where they are providing people with free skin cancer screenings. The foundation tries to help not only educate people on the dangers and effects of skin cancer but also help people understand how to prevent it.
As part of their efforts to help people stay safe from skin cancer, Doctor Lindsay Sewell a local dermatologist who is a member of the foundation says the "Destination Healthy Skin" program is a big help, in their efforts.
"They have this motorhome that travels around 30 cities from May through November to do free skin cancer checks. The volunteer physicians show up and the bus travels around. I'm based here in Idaho Falls as are all the other doctors here who are working, and then when they show up in a new city, they'll get other dermatologists to come in and do the skin cancer checks for the people that want to be checked over," Dr. Sewell said.
The importance of the screenings is only rising as Dr. Sewell says Idaho is once again a leader in deaths from skin cancer.
"We're back to being number one again for the the highest number of melanoma deaths in the US. We say, well, how is that possible? And again, I think it's back to what I was saying earlier with a lot of people fair skin recreating all the time, not protecting themselves, and then it just adds up," said Dr. Sewell.
Dr. Sewell says that nationwide there are 4-5 million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer every year. And according to the American Cancer Society, nearly 800 of those cases are right here in Idaho.
Dr. Sewell says the best way to prevent skin cancer is to not only cover up but if covering up is not available apply a sunscreen of at least 50 spf and do so every 2 hours.
"If you don't reapply, it wears off. The other thing is people say, oh, I put my sunscreen on at 6:00 in the morning. Well, the sun can't really do much to you until about 9:00 in our area. About 9 to 6 during the middle of the summer is when the sun rays can really get you."
He says with people enjoying the outdoors in Idaho as well as being in a higher elevation we are at a higher risk already for skin cancer.
"Just living at a higher altitude like we are here. We're 4500 feet in Idaho Falls and we have a lot of people that come down and see us from Jackson, which is over a mile high, 6500 feet. And so the higher elevation and the lots of Sunny days per year here, a lot of people outside, just outside recreating gets people sun exposure. And the sun exposure eventually adds up," Dr. Sewell said.
While doing a screening Dr. Sewell says he is looking at specific things. Those can include any new moles, changing moles, or even any wounds that aren't healing properly.
"People may not be able to tell the difference unless you're a trained professional. And that's where we come in, know we can help people try to decide, is that spot okay? Is it not okay? And if we're not sure, we do a skin biopsy, put it under the microscope, but let the pathologist tell us it's okay. And then if it's not, we take care of it. And if it is, we just reassure you and you move on," Dr. Sewell said.
The Skin Cancer Foundation will continue to be giving free skin cancer screenings Monday, July 24 from 10 am to 4 pm. The RV will be in the Club Apple parking lot.
