Skin cancer risks are closer than you think

The Okanagan sunshine is one of the biggest reasons people love living here — but too much of a good thing can quietly become dangerous.

Dr. Ben Wiese of the Kelowna Skin Cancer Clinic says while the sun brings warmth and energy to daily life, it also carries a serious health risk: skin cancer.

"We need to remember that there's a lot of radiation-UVA, UVB, UVC, coming from the sun," he explained. "We want to protect our skin as much as possible against that radiation so that we can prevent the DNA damage, preventing skin cancer."

When it comes to protecting yourself, Dr. Wiese said people default to sunscreen, but it's not the first line of defense.

"Clothing is the true block. Sunscreen is a filter. Whatever part of our body that is not covered with clothing we want to use sunscreen on and 365 days of the year, even on a cloudy day," he said.

Wiese added people with fair skin, blue eyes, red hair or numerous moles should be especially cautious, as their risk for skin cancer is higher.

While many people are aware the sun causes aging, Wiese pointed out that UVA rays cause aging, while UVB rays cause burning. Therefore, protecting your skin helps you age better and lowers your risk of skin cancer.

Changes in your skin over time are normal, but some are worth getting checked.

"What we're searching for is that ugly duckling, the one lesion that is just completely different compared to anything else that is present on the skin, Wiese said. "If you've got this one lesion, and it's changing quite dramatically, this is something where you want to see your family doctor to have a look at that lesion."

With May marking Melanoma Awareness Month, Wiese said it’s the perfect time to take stock of your skin, and your habits.

"One of the misperceptions is that we always think that skin cancer is only in sun exposed areas. If we think about Bob Marley, he died from a melanoma on his toe," he said. "Any living person on earth can develop skin cancer, even if you have very dark skin, very light skin, if you tan well."