Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer which can prove to be twice as likely to be life-threatening for men as women. Among men, it is perilous for white adolescents and the younger age group. Melanoma is generally caused when the pigment-producing cells in the body become cancerous which triggers an unusual growth of an existing mole. This article is about Young Men's Melanoma Deaths.

It can be treated with surgery, medication if it’s moderate and with chemotherapy and radiation under serious circumstances. 

What is the Cause Behind the Increasing Number of Young Men's Melanoma Deaths?

Men’s melanoma rates help in highlighting the disparity between men and women concerning the occurrence of the disease. Older men’s melanoma study suggests that when men turn 65, they are twice as likely as women of the same age to suffer from melanoma. Subsequently, at the age of 80, they are thrice more likely than women who belong to the same group to develop melanoma. 

However, what’s the reason behind such disparity?

Moles: People who have numerous moles on their bodies are more susceptible to suffer from melanoma in the future than people who don’t. To prevent such a situation, regular photography of the skin is always recommended to pay attention to the skin of people with myriads of moles. 

Indoor tanning: Using tanning parlours, sun lamps or tanning beds can make you prone to all types of skin cancer. Therefore, the usage of indoor tanning is strictly prohibited.

Genetics: More often than not, people who suffer from melanoma have a family history of the disease which is passed onto them through their genes. If a man’s close relations such as mother, father or siblings have suffered from melanoma, the risk of developing melanoma in the future increases manifold. Under such a situation, it is recommended for people whose close relatives have melanoma, to get their skin examined at regular intervals. 

Fair skin: Unfortunately, people with fair complexion, blue eyes and freckles are more prone to develop melanoma in the future. Resultantly, it can be concluded that white people are more susceptible to suffer from melanoma than black people.

Age: On average, people who are 65 years old are at a higher risk of suffering from melanoma. However, according to research, melanoma is extremely prevalent among young adults these days.

Familial melanoma: More often than not, changes or more popularly mutations in genes can cause melanoma in people. However, more research is required in this area, especially concerning genetic factors and environmental factors. 

Skin cancer: If you’ve been diagnosed and treated with melanoma in the past, there is a higher risk of developing new melanomas again in the future. Not only that, but people who have been diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer, also have a possibility of developing melanoma. 

Weak immune system: With a weakened or suppressed immune system, you become more susceptible to the risk of developing melanoma. Various medications often suppress immune function and therefore, you need to check with your doctor concerning any of the medications you consume

Other factors: Certain genetic conditions such as retinoblastoma, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes, Werner syndrome, xeroderma pigmentosum, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome increases the risk of developing melanoma. 

Men vs Melanoma: How to Prevent this Looming Threat?

Below are the tips for preventing looming threat:

1. Protect your skin from the sun

As mentioned before, the risk of melanoma increases manifold when you are under direct exposure to the sun. Therefore, it’s important to ensure sun protection whenever you step out of your house. 

If you dislike applying lotions or creams to your body, you might have to change this opinion and take responsibility for your health. Along with applying lotions and creams, you also have to wear sunglasses, try to remain in the shade whenever possible, avoid going out when the rays of the sun are strongest, that is between 10 AM to 2 PM and also try to cover your skin with clothes as much as possible. Moreover, you’ll find sunscreens customized solely for men which will encourage you to wear more sunscreen. Health experts recommend wearing sunscreen that provides SPF of 30, along with water resistance and guaranteed protection. 

2.  Regular skin exams

Signing yourself up for regular skin exams can help you reduce the risk of developing melanoma in the future. Keeping all the above-mentioned factors into consideration, getting regular skin self-exams can help men detect skin cancer early. As a result, this facilitates early diagnosis and does not pose as life-threatening. 

Sometimes, if you cannot see certain areas such as your back, you can ask your partner to check it for you. In this way, the whole process can be a little more fun and less mundane. As a result, you will look forward to all the monthly skin exams. Until now, if you’ve never signed yourself up for a skin exam, you should do it immediately. 

Don’t procrastinate to some other day or time or don’t wait for anything else. Just go ahead and do it. These exams will not only help you to detect skin cancer but will also help you to detect any abnormalities in the skin if any. 

In conclusion, some of the ways to protect your skin from developing melanoma and reducing the number of young men’s melanoma deaths, sun protection, self-regulated skin exams and skin cancer screenings are necessary. They will help you in diagnosing any skin-related problem early and ensure quick treatments. Treatments generally include digital body imagery or virtual biopsies which are successful with the help of confocal microscopy. 

Not only that but also don’t ignore any signs or symptoms. Although this point is self-explanatory and quite obvious, people, unfortunately, ignore them under the assumption of something minor. No matter how minor or negligible these symptoms are, it’s important to get it checked by your dermatologist once, even if it’s just to confirm it.