Older Men, Not Just Teen Girls, At Higher Risk For Skin Cancer

DETROIT (WWJ) - It may seem like all the warnings about skin cancer are aimed at teen girls, but America's dermatologists say there's another group at high risk for deadly melanoma.

Although melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can strike anyone, men older than 50 are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than the general population.

That's why the American Academy of Dermatology has launched a new public service advertisement to encourage older men to check their skin for suspicious or changing spots, and the timing is perfect since it's Men's Health Week.

Dermatologist Steve Grekin with Grekin Skin Institute says, men over 50 in particular, need to be educated about the risk. "What we need is to have them have a skin exam and then we need to educate them about sunscreen and proper sun protection so that they're not getting added radiation doses that make these situations worse," said Grekin.

To learn more about spotting skin cancer, visit SpotSkinCancer.org.