Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Oklahoma
  3. Healthy Living Tips
  4. Maintain Your Health - Preventive Care
  5. Preventive Care - Skin Cancer Prevention Behavioral Counseling

Skin Cancer Prevention Behavioral Counseling

Skin Cancer Behavioral Counseling

Skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, is the most common type of cancer. Melanoma is less common than basal or squamous cell carcinoma but has a much higher death rate.

Who is at risk

  • Excessive exposure to the sun during childhood and adolescence.
  • Fair skin types (ivory or pale skin, light hair and eye color, freckles, or those who sunburn easily).
  • Use tanning beds.
  • History of sunburns or previous skin cancer.
  • Family history of skin cancer.
  • Weakened immune system.
  • Many moles or abnormal moles.

Symptoms

Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and legs.

Basal cell carcinoma may appear as:

  • A pearly or waxy bump
  • A flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion
  • A bleeding or scabbing sore that heals and returns

Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as:

  • A firm, red nodule
  • A flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface

Melanoma signs include:

  • A large brownish spot with darker speckles
  • A mole that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds
  • A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, pink, white, blue or blue-black
  • A painful lesion that itches or burns
  • Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus

What you can do

  • Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every time you go outside.
  • Wear protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses.
  • Avoid tanning beds.
  • Check your skin regularly and talk to your doctor about any changes.

Preventive service at no cost

Young adults, adolescents, children, and parents of young children

The USPSTF recommends counseling young adults, adolescents, children, and parents of young children about minimizing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation for persons aged 6 months to 24 years with fair skin types to reduce their risk of skin cancer.


Why the service is important

Using care in going out in the sun and avoiding tanning beds in childhood and adolescence may prevent skin cancer later in life.

What the service is

Your child’s pediatrician provides counseling that targets sun protection behaviors.

Treatment

Treatment of skin cancer depends on the type of skin cancer.

Skin Cancer Treatment

Additional tips

Talk to your doctor about any prescriptions or over-the-counter medications you take that can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Tips to Stay Safe in the Sun

Don’t Fry Day

Additional resources