Protecting moles from the sun: Essential tips for a safe summer

Are you going on vacation? Remember to take sunscreen with you. If you have many moles, make sure to protect them adequately. It's essential because changes under sunlight can transform them into melanoma.

Moles are small pigmented changes that appear in various places on the skin. Their colour is due to melanin, a natural pigment in the human body.

Everyone has at least one mole on their body. We divide them into two groups — congenital and acquired. Interestingly, they can be inherited. Although these changes are completely normal and natural, they must be protected from the sun.

Congenital moles develop during fetal life. Over time, they appear on the body, but their number is limited. On the other hand, acquired moles develop suddenly. The most significant "outbreak" of moles can be seen in the summer when the skin is exposed to intense sunlight.

An extensive outbreak of moles can indicate that the skin was not adequately protected from the sun. Moles require protection from ultraviolet rays. Only in this way can you avoid irritation or painful changes and also monitor the condition of your skin.

How to protect moles? Equip yourself with a good sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB radiation. Use it throughout the summer, half an hour before planning to go out and planning a blissful rest on the beach. Don't forget about reapplying the cream. Depending on its strength, you should rub it into the skin every 2 to 3 hours after the first application and after coming out of the water.

Regular sun protection prevents the formation of new moles. Monitoring the condition of your skin is really important because some changes caused by carcinogenic factors can develop into skin cancer. The statistics are alarming—melanoma accounts for as much as 2 percent of all cancers in Canada.

In the initial phase, it may resemble a mole—it looks like any other discoloration on the body. Over time, the change starts to spread, and around it, there may be alarming redness or painful irritation. Don't be fooled—it's not a scratched mole but a severe change that requires consultation with a specialist.

If you notice such a change, immediately go to the doctor. Do not ignore it because melanoma is a hazardous disease that requires specialized treatment. Identifying it in the early stage is entirely curable. Don't delay — in this case, time works against you.