New Hampshire scores high on melanoma diagnoses (that's bad and good)

The next time you’re told to cover up before going out in the sun, you’ll want to listen. You might think, because you’re not in California or Florida -- because you’re in New Hampshire -- that you might be safe from the negative effects of the sun. That’s where you’d be wrong.

The following information, taken from the U.S. Office of Air and Radiation.

“Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. This fact sheet presents statistics about skin cancer for New Hampshire and the United States as a whole.

• Sunburns. A 2004 survey found that 43.8% of white adults in New Hampshire had at least one sunburn in the past year. Sunburns are a significant risk factor for the development of skin cancer.
• New Cases of Melanoma. New Hampshire had the second highest rate of new melanoma diagnoses in the U.S. from 2001-2005, 61% higher than the national average.9,10 In 2008, an estimated 400 state residents were diagnosed with melanoma, which is responsible for 75% of all skin cancer deaths.
• Grafton County has the highest rate of melanoma diagnoses in the state, 160% above the national average.
• Deaths from Melanoma. More than 40 people in New Hampshire die of melanoma every year. New Hampshire had the 7th highest melanoma death rate nationally from 2001-2005—18.5% higher than the U.S. average.
• Grafton County (where the Old Man of the Mountain was once located) has the highest melanoma death rate in the state, 63% higher than the national average."

And this isn’t new information. So it’s totally time to take heed.

Schedule a consultation today with Dermatology & Skin Health at 742-5556. Located at 784 Central Ave., Dover, Dermatology and Skin Health prides itself on being a comprehensive dermatology practice, that offers state-of-the-art services in the treatment of skin cancer, dermatology and cosmetic dermatology. In our medi-spa clients choose from an array of safe, non-surgical cosmetic procedures that can improve or eliminate unwanted imperfections, rejuvenate their skin and bring back a youthful glow. For information, visit https://dermskinhealth.com/, and “friend” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DermatologySkinHealth.