Do you also love the crispy sounds of fresh snow under your feet and the smell of fresh mountain air? Don’t we all feel healthy after a day of winter sports? However, we might not be truly healthy if we do not consider prevention and detection of skin cancer as part of our health routine. Even in the cold season we must not underestimate the power of the sun, too often we forget about sun protection in the colder months. Below we explain why this is so important.
Snow reflects up to 90% of the sun
Even on cold and overcast days, 90% of the UV light penetrates the cloud cover. Less sun doesn’t mean less UV rays or less sun screen! Especially in winter, on sunny days, snow reflects up to 90% of the UV rays (with every altitude of 1000 meters the UV-radiation increases by 20%). While you are comfortably driving up the mountain in the gondola or sitting in a traffic jam in the car on the way to work, don’t forget that UVA rays can also penetrate glass and find their way to your unprotected skin.
Avoid sun burn
Even when it's cloudy and snowy, wearing sunscreen in the winter is a crucial part of maintaining your skin health. UV radiation and the number of sunburns are considered the most important exogenous risk factors for skin cancer. The number of patients who develop skin cancer every year is increasing sharply worldwide. With early detection, the chance of survival is almost 100%, but a melanoma spreads relatively quickly and survival with metastatic melanoma is limited.
Prevention of skin cancer
Dermatologists recommend the use of sunscreen – 365 per year. Warning signs of sunburn, such as burning or red skin, which we know from summer, are unfortunately less noticeable in the cold. Same as in summer, body parts that you cannot protect with sunscreen need to be covered with clothes. But not only the skin, also the eyes suffer from extreme solar radiation. Do not forget to wear sunglasses or ski goggles when doing outdoor activities.
Detection of skin cancer
The good news about skin cancer is that when diagnosed early, the survival chances are high. Therefor early detection is key. Regular self-examination of the skin allows you to quickly identify changes. This is where SkinScreener, a user-friendly app, can come in to help you to easily and quickly assess the risk of skin cancer in skin lesions (moles, skin spots, skin lesions or similar), using artificial intelligence. All you need are your smartphones and your eyes, a full-length mirror and good light. From head to toe- it’s best to start with the upper part of the body (head, neck, arms, upper body). Then focus on the lower part (butt, legs, feet and between the toes) to find (suspicious) skin lesions. With the SkinScreener app you can easily scan them and get a risk assessment. If your skin lesion is assesses at Medium or HIgh risk in the Skinscreener app, be safe and see a doctor. If you do not use the app, and you notice any change in an existing mole or discover a new one that looks suspicious be safe and see a doctor.
