Summer’s scare: Skin cancer on the High Desert

On a 90-degree day, John Moore had to roll up his sleeve to show his scar.

“They basically cut a straight line and removed all that tissue,” Moore said Monday, pointing to the pink scar on his forearm.

These days, Moore is wearing a lot more long-sleeve shirts, to protect against sun damage. Just three weeks ago, the man who splits his time between Bend and Hawaii had to get surgery to remove the cancerous squamous cell carcinoma.

“They took out a lot more than I thought,” he said. “I was actually shocked.”

Moore also had more than 30 other cancerous spots removed from his arms — the aftermath of a lifetime of sun, and not much regard for sunscreen.

“I always had my shirt off,” said Moore, who works as a boat captain in Maui’s tourism industry. “When I was young, I wore oil. Sunscreen was not as big of a thing as it is now.”

Central Oregon medical experts say that’s a story they hear far too often.

“All that damage catches up with people,” said Bend Dermatology physician’s assistant Larry Weber. “I see it all the time.”

“You want (to put) a shot glass full of sunscreen on every time you apply.,” he said.

Weber warns one of the biggest mistakes people make is when they put it on.

“Half an hour to 45 minutes before sun exposure is what you should be doing,” Weber said. “The other thing is reapply, every two to three hours — especially if you’re going to be in and out of the water.”

Weber said the most common type of skin cancer he diagnoses is basal cell carcinoma. Although melanoma is more rare, it’s also the most deadly.

“We sometimes call it the silent killer, because it lies there silently until you go looking for it to find it,” Weber said.

Weber said education is the most important defense against skin cancer.

He recommends wearing sunscreen daily and putting on wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeve clothing to protect from the sun’s rays.

People also are advised to check their skin head-to-toe at least once a month.

Weber said people should see a dermatologist at least once a year beginning in their 20s. Those with a family history of skin cancer, or lots of moles, should see a dermatologist, starting in their teens.

If you see a new spot or mole appear — or see spots change shape or color — get them checked out.

Moore said it took him more than a year to go to a doctor after he first started noticing odd abrasions on his arms that wouldn’t heal. He said now he’ll visit the dermatologist every six months.

“Now I realize it is a big deal, and I tell my kids it’s a big deal,” Moore said. “I was quick to forward the picture of the surgery to them.”

Weber also wants to remind people that sunscreen is not just for the sun. He recommends people use it daily, and said sun damage and burns can happen in cloudy or overcast weather.