May 4, 2011

With the summer weather quickly approaching, area dermatologists warn residents to protect their skin from the sun's intense rays, even on a cloudy day. Studies show one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime.

"When you are young you just do not think of things like that, when I was young I used to go to Virginia Beach a lot and lay in the sun and all of those good things," said Wayne Knight. Knight says now he is paying the price and has learned the hard way that the sun's rays can be dangerous.

"I had one on my nose right there that's very prevalent. I just had that removed and it was a cancerous cell and had another one right here mostly on my face and my shoulder areas are where most of mine are," said Knight. With regular visits to long-time Charlottesville Dermatologist, Dr. Bonnie Straka, Knight has taken a proactive approach to catching precancerous cells before they become deadly.

"I don't see any skin cancer but a couple of rough crusty spots that are indicative of pre-cancerous lesions," said Dr. Straka.

Knight is more prone to skin cancer now, due to a side effect from medication he is taking for a kidney transplant.

"I'm very conscious about looking for things and if I find them and they last longer than I think they should then I call Dr. Straka and make an appointment and get in before they get anymore serious than what they are at the time," said Knight.

90 percent of skin cancer is preventable, however Dr. Straka notes that one should never leave their home without applying sunscreen, especially during the summer.

"Studies have shown that a bad sunburn in a child under the age of two is the most devastating type of sunburn. Even if that's the only sunburn this person will have, it will statistically produce more skin cancers in their adult years, than five sun burns perhaps when you're 25," said Dr. Straka. "Those first couple of years are crucial." Straka adds that your skin has a memory, while you can never erase past sun damage, future prevention efforts can work to save your life.

Dermatologist's recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapplying it after sweating and swimming.

"I'd rather trade good skin for the tan skin, blistered skin as it was," said Knight.