We posed your question to , a Minneapolis dermatologist and marathoner.
It doesn鈥檛 matter where you live, he says. If you are concerned about something, get it checked out. And if you fall into one of these two categories, you should get screened for skin cancer at least once a year:
1. You have first-degree relatives who鈥檝e had melanoma.
2. You鈥檝e had a history of precancers like , or skin cancers yourself.
While the most common places for skin cancer to develop are on the nose, temples, and ears鈥攁reas that may still be exposed to the sun even during the winter鈥攖hey鈥檙e not the only spots to check for trouble. 鈥淔emale athletes tend to get more skin cancer on their legs than men do, and men tend to get more skin cancer on their trunks. We see a lot more melanoma on women鈥檚 legs than you鈥檇 expect,鈥 Ecker says.
Ecker recommends wearing a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day, no matter how dreary it is outside. 鈥淓ighty percent of the sun鈥檚 rays come through the clouds, even on cold winter days when the sun鈥檚 not out. If you鈥檙e in an office building or in a car driving around, all of the UVA rays come right through the glass, so you鈥檙e still getting hit pretty hard,鈥 Ecker says. Not only do UVA rays play a part in aging and wrinkling the skin, but they may also initiate the development of skin cancers, according to .
If you鈥檙e a runner, Ecker recommends using a greasier sunscreen that will stick to your skin and not run into your eyes while you鈥檙e exercising鈥攅ven on a treadmill by a window. He likes .
THE BOTTOM LINE: No matter where you live, if you have any concerns, see your dermatologist. And if you have any personal or family history of skin cancer, get screened at least once a year. Damaging UVA rays can still sneak their way into your skin even if you鈥檙e not training outside in the sun every day. 聽