Runners! Block That Sun!

Like any sport, running comes with its risks. Typically things like shin splints, ITBS (overuse injury of the connective tissues that are located on the lateral or outer part of thigh and knee), and plantarfasciitis (local inflammation of the ligament beneath sole of the foot) come to mind. But there's another risk that may not be as top of mind—skin cancer. Research shows that runners have a higher incidence of skin cancer than the average non-runner because of their exposure to the sun.

So what’s a runner to do? You can drastically decrease your chances of skin cancer by wearing sunblock and/or sunscreen with an spf of 15 or higher. Cover as much exposed skin as possible and wear a hat and sunglasses. My dermatologist is trying to get me to set a new trend among runners by wearing a big floppy hat. I'm not quite to the floppy hat stage yet, but I'm doing what I can with sunscreen and clothing to decrease the amount of exposed skin. Also running early morning or late evening will decrease the percentage of Harmful UV rays you’re exposed to.

Skin cancer, when detected early, has a very high cure rate. Runners, be vigilant about regularly checking your body for moles. Know the ABCDEs of Skin Cancer:

• Asymmetry - Normal moles or freckles are completely symmetrical. If you drew an imaginary line down the center of a normal mole or spot, the two halves would be symmetrical or look the same. With skin cancer, a mole or skin spots will       look different on each side.
• Border - A normal mole or spot has even edges. With skin cancer, a mole or spot will have blurry and/or jagged edges.
• Color - A mole or skin spot with more than one hue is suspicious and needs to be checked by a doctor. Normal moles and/or skin spots are usually one color. This can include lightening or darkening of the mole.
• Diameter - If a mole or skin spot is larger than a pencil eraser (about 1/4 inch or 6mm), you need to have it checked out by a doctor. This even includes moles and skin spots that do not have any other abnormalities (color, border,   asymmetry).
• Elevation - Elevation refers to a mole that is raised above the surface and has an uneven surface.

Use the ABCDEs of Skin Cancer as a guide in initially evaluating moles and skin spots on your body. Moles may never change; they may take a long time to change; or they can change fairly quickly. But if you have any doubts, GO TO THE DOCTOR! It’s a great idea to schedule an annual visit to the dermatologist to check for questionable moles. You may have one in a place that you can’t easily see, such as your back.