Beauty 6 years ago

5 Skin Cancer Prevention Tips

Hey everyone, I’m Idalia Salsamendi, the Director of Business Development at Chriselle INC (you might remember me from this post here! or when I take over Chriselle’s Instagram Stories to show you what goes on behind the scenes), and although I’m more commonly known as the “money girl” of the team (ie: give a good fourteen page client contract and I’ll dissect it to a tee), both Chriselle and I felt it was important to get personal with something that happened to me in hopes that we can help you.

So what’s the topic? Skin Cancer Prevention Tips. Why? Well, earlier this year I went to two dermatologists to check on a “scab” on my forehead that had been there for the last six months with no signs of healing. Rewind… what?! Six months?! I know what you’re thinking… how could I have waited that long to get it checked out? The answer is: I don’t know. Perhaps it was the fear that skin cancer is prevalent in my family? That denial isn’t just a river in Egypt? That by not checking it, I wouldn’t be faced with reality? Very unlike me, but it shows that I’m human and that we all do the strangest things to avoid uncomfortable situations. Lesson learned. You feel me?

They did discover that the “scab” was actually a precancerous lesion that they immediately froze off with liquid nitrogen which is meant to destroy the top layers of the skin where the sun damaged pre-cancerous cells reside. Then hopefully the normal skin heals and the precancerous cells have been killed off. It’s been about six weeks now and thank goodness the lesion has cleared, but the worry doesn’t end here. Now that I know that I’m prone to it, I have to be extra careful now more than ever to prevent it from happening again.

After talking to dermatologists, and doing my online research, here are the top five tips I found to be most helpful. Shocker is, I didn’t know about two of them!

1. Sunscreen

Duh. Really, duh! But how many of us actually use it? I personally didn’t until last year… and that’s because my Armani Foundation had it. Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. Also, remember that most sunscreens will only last about three hours, so reapply. Now that the weather is getting warmer, and the sun stronger, I don’t leave my house without applying Revive’s SPF!

2. Diet

And by diet, I really mean fruits and vegetables. Eating dark, leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale, as well as citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits, contain elements that may reduce the risk of getting skin cancer. Also look for foods that are high in beta-carotene such as carrots, squash, sweet potato, apricots, and mangos. Since my appointment, I’ve actually begun the transition into a plant-based diet. Not saying anyone should go such an extreme, but ever since I started I’ve never felt better. Happy to talk about that journey too if you’re interested.

3. Supplements

It wasn’t until last week that I specifically heard about this particular supplement. And now that I have, it’s literally everywhere: Nicotinamide, a form of Vitamin B3. Studies show that twice-daily doses of 500mg can enhance DNA repair resulting in reduced basal cell and squamous cell cancers as well as actinic keratosis.

4. Laser Treatments

These help remove skin damage and pre-cancerous cells to help prevent skin cancers. They also improve scars, even skin color, reduce wrinkling, and lighten brown spots. Also want to throw in here, that seeing a dermatologist a minimum of once a year is a thumbs up. I first discovered this thanks to my friends at Kate Somerville in Los Angeles and found it was a game-changer.

5. DNA Repair Enzymes

This is another tip that was completely new to me. Traveling as much as I do, I’m always prone to sun exposure, and pollution which obviously can lead to skin cancer. By incorporating DNA Repair Enzymes to your skincare routine, you can boost and accelerate your skin’s natural repair process. PS: Also try Tea Tree Oils, a wonderful holistic add-on to your routine as well.

Thank you so so so much for being part of my journey. To continue following my story (and also for a good time), feel free to follow me at @idaliasalsamendi.

Gracias!

References: Skin Cancer Foundation, The Lancet, JDD, Moy Fincher Chipps Dermatology

x Idalia

Credits:

Photography by Drew Scott