Picture
Dialogue
Two Black ladies (Monica and Brandi) are sitting at a desk at an outside cafe having lunch collectively and chatting.
Monica: What are you going to put on to Stacey’s occasion subsequent month?
Brandi: In all probability a black costume. The one with the —
Monica: (reaches for her glass of water, exposing a darkish spot on her palm within the course of)
Brandi: Monica, what’s in your hand?
Monica: This spot? (factors to identify on palm). Unsure. It appeared to simply present up in the future. And you realize what? It’s really been bothering me these days. It’s itchy and a bit tender.
Brandi: Have you ever gotten it checked out?
Monica: No. I’m certain it’s no large deal.
Brandi: That kinda jogs my memory of how Stacey stated her skin cancer appeared.
Monica: However she’s fair-skinned. Darker skinned folks like us don’t have to fret about that. I by no means get burned.
Brandi: Yeah, however I believe it’s best to not less than get it checked out.
Monica: Effectively, I’m going to the dermatologist in just a few weeks to strive a kind of pores and skin resurfacing laser therapies. I can deliver it up then.
Monica is sitting within the examination chair on the dermatologist’s workplace. She is ending up a kind of fancy laser therapies on her face.
A pair weeks later …
Physician: All performed! This could assist battle a few of these tremendous traces you’re involved about.
Monica: Oh earlier than I’m going, my pal made me promise to ask you about this spot on my hand. I advised her it was nothing, however can you are taking a fast look?
Monica’s dermatologist reaches for a magnifying glass, adjusts her headlamp to shine onto her palm, and leans ahead and examines the mole on her palm.
Monica’s physician takes a fast pores and skin pattern of the mole and packages it up for biopsy.
Physician: This really appears to be like a bit suspicious.
Monica: Actually? What does it appear like?
Physician: It could possibly be early melanoma.
Monica: On the palm of my hand?
Physician: Sure. In folks with darker pores and skin, melanoma really reveals up extra in areas that don’t get loads of solar, like your palm, bottoms of the toes, below your nails and even inside your mouth.
Monica: I had no concept. I barely even use sunscreen – except I’m on the seaside or one thing – as a result of my pores and skin by no means appears to burn.
Physician: Lots of people of shade don’t understand that they’re additionally susceptible to pores and skin most cancers. And that not all pores and skin most cancers is attributable to solar publicity. It’s true that lighter pores and skin is extra in danger, however I additionally diagnose it in Black folks — even those that by no means burn. I’m going to have this biopsied and can name you with the outcomes.
Monica will get a cellphone name from the physician.
Monica: Hi there?
Physician: Hello, Monica. Identical to I suspected, that mole is early stage melanoma. The excellent news is you introduced it to my consideration, and we caught it early. I’m going to schedule you to return in and get it eliminated.
Monica: Wow. I’m so glad I had it checked.
Physician: Sure, it’s nice that you just introduced that mole to my consideration. Are available in for yearly checks, hold tabs in your pores and skin between appointments and undoubtedly come see me should you discover the rest suspicious.
Additionally, although solar publicity most likely didn’t trigger this melanoma, it’s nonetheless necessary to put on sunscreen. Use SPF 30 or larger. You’ll wish to discover a model with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Zinc can go away a white forged in your pores and skin, however they make tinted ones for folks of shade.
Monica: Thanks!
Monica is at Stacey’s occasion along with her pal Brandi. They’re standing collectively at a excessive prime cocktail desk with a drink in every of their arms chatting. Brandi is in her black costume and Monica is dressed up as properly. The occasion is outdoors on a rooftop and the solar remains to be out.
Monica places on sunscreen and gives some to Brandi
Monica: Thanks once more for encouraging me to get that mole checked out, Brandi.
Brandi: After all. I’m so glad the surgical procedure took care of it. An awesome reminder to placed on sunscreen. Truthfully, I’ve been slacking too.
Monica: Talking of which … (pulls out a tube of SPF 30, slathers some on her uncovered pores and skin and gives it to Brandi).
Brandi: Thanks!
Attainable pores and skin most cancers signs in folks of shade
- A darkish spot, development or patch of pores and skin that’s altering form, getting greater or bleeding
- A tough or dry patch of pores and skin
- A darkish line in or round your finger or toenail mattress
- A sore that isn’t therapeutic or heals and returns over time
- A sore that seems or reappears in a scar or website of earlier harm
For extra info, go to HealthyWomen.org.
This useful resource was created with help from Merck.
