Before Sunscreen

It was a time before sunscreen became common.

In their younger years, Baby Boomers enjoyed a nice summer day as much as younger generations do today.  Along with those sunny days, boomers often got a not-so-nice sunburn in the deal.

Those sunburns from your 20s and 30s can easily turn into melanoma or skin cancer in your 50s and 60s.  The latest statistics show that melanoma is a trend that’s picking up steam. 

Baby Boomers are prime targets for a melanoma diagnosis, a situation that’s unlikely to change.  “I’m guessing sunscreens became popular in the mid-’70s, so we’ve got 30 years there of people who grew up without any protection from the sun,” Dr. John Chadwick, a Battle Creek dermatologist for 27 years, said. “I suspect you’re going to see a continued increase in melanoma incidents for the next 30 years.  But we hope at the end of 30 years that the epidemic will decrease.”

With early detection, melanoma is eminently treatable, with a 90-plus percent cure rate, Chadwick said.

Self-examinations, best done in front of a full-length mirror, take five minutes.  You’re looking for moles that are asymmetrical, have jagged borders, an uneven color or a diameter larger than a pencil eraser.  New moles or old ones that seem to be evolving in some way are also worrisome.

Discoveries should be followed up with a doctor’s visit.  In addition, boomers with high-risk factors such as a family history of melanoma or particularly fair or freckled skin should get regular checkups.

Source: Battle Creek Enquirer, July 17, 2006