Monument Health dermatologists offering free ‘Melanoma Monday’ screenings

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Living a healthy life is important, and that’s why Monument Health dermatologists are offering free skin cancer screenings the next two Mondays.

In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Monument Health Dermatology staff in Rapid City and Spearfish locations will participate in the annual Melanoma Monday event. The Spearfish location will offer screenings on Monday, May 5, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., while the Rapid City location will offer screenings the following Monday, May 12, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Rapid City Monument Health Dermatology director Siri Knutsen-Larson says Melanoma is one of the most common types of skin cancer, but also very preventable. She stresses the importance of melanoma testing and explains how to detect it using the A-B-C-D-E method.

A is asymmetry, meaning that you cannot fold the mole on top of itself; you couldn’t equally fold it in half,’ Knutsen-Larson said. B is an abnormal border, so any kind of jagged or funny edges. C is color, and I like to say red, white, blue, or black. If any of those colors are present, that can be concerning. D is the diameter, so bigger than a pencil eraser head. And E is probably the most important, and that means evolution, so if something is changing.”

While this might sound scary for many, Knutsen-Larson says there is one simple solution.

“What we didn’t know when I was a child was that every sunburn before the age of 18 is what increases your risk for bad skin cancer when you’re older,’ Knutsen-Larson said. So, as a child, it’s incredibly important for parents to be reapplying their sunscreen. For adults as well! You want to make sure you have an SPF30 to a 50 reapplied every couple of hours when you’re outside.”

Knutsen-Larson added that the screening process is easy and encourages people to call ahead to schedule their free screening at each of the locations. Schedule a screening at Monument Health Dermatology at 550 East Colorado Blvd. in Spearfish by calling 605-717-8860. For the Rapid City location, call 605-755-5340.

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