UV Safety Awareness Month: What Your Skin Is Trying to Tell You

July is UV Safety Awareness Month, and if you live in North Dakota, you already know the drill: short window of good weather, and everybody’s outside for it. Lake days, ballgames, farming, golf, the whole state basically lives outdoors from May through September.

That’s a lot of sun. Most of us think about sunscreen. Almost nobody thinks about the other half of sun protection, actually checking your skin.

Sun Protection Basics That Actually Matter

There’s no such thing as a healthy base tan. A tan is your skin’s damage response, not a sign it’s toughening up. With that said, here’s what actually helps:

• Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours if you’re outside, more often if you’re in the water
• Real shade during peak sun, roughly 10am to 4pm, not just a hat brim
• Sun-protective clothing for long days outside, especially on the water or in the field
• Sunscreen on the spots people forget: ears, part lines, the tops of feet, lips

Sunscreen Isn’t the Whole Story

Skin cancer caught early is highly treatable. Skin cancer caught late is a very different conversation. That’s the entire reason skin checks exist, and it’s the piece most people skip.

Between visits, keep an eye out for the ABCDE signs in any mole or spot:

• Asymmetry: one half doesn’t match the other
• Border: edges are ragged or blurred instead of smooth
• Color: uneven color, or new colors within the same spot
• Diameter: larger than about a quarter inch, roughly the size of a pencil eraser
• Evolving: changing in size, shape, or symptoms over time

If something on your skin checks any of those boxes, or you just can’t remember the last time anyone actually looked, that’s worth a visit on its own.

Meet the Person Behind Our Skin Checks

Maren Dockter, PA-C, handles skin checks, mole evaluations, and biopsies at Balance Medical, and she takes it seriously enough to work with a dermatoscope, a specialized tool most primary care visits don’t have access to. If something needs a closer look from a dermatologist, she can get you there fast. In an area where a routine dermatology appointment can take upward of a year to land, that turnaround matters.

Want the full picture on her background? Learn more about Maren’s experience here.

When to Get a Skin Check Sooner Rather Than Later

• A mole or spot that’s new, or one that’s changed
• Anything that itches, bleeds, or won’t heal
• A family history of melanoma or skin cancer
• A history of bad sunburns, tanning bed use, or a lot of years spent outdoors
• It’s simply been longer than a year since anyone looked

A Couple of Quick Questions

How often should I actually get a skin check?

Once a year for most people, sooner if you’re higher risk or you notice something concerning in the meantime.

What if I find something before my appointment?

Don’t wait for your next scheduled visit. Call and get it looked at, especially if it matches any of the ABCDE signs above.

Get Your Skin Checked in Bismarck, ND

Sunscreen is the easy half of sun protection. The other half is someone actually looking. Schedule a skin check with Maren at Balance Medical and take care of the part that’s easy to put off.

Dr. Rhonda Schafer-McLean

Founder & Medical Director at Balance Medical & Bal Med Skin

Dr. Rhonda Schafer-McLean is a board-certified OB/GYN with more than 15 years of experience caring for women throughout North Dakota. As the founder of Balance Medical and Bal Med Skin, she combines advanced medical expertise with a genuine, down-to-earth approach. Whether she’s performing surgery or helping someone feel more confident in their skin, Dr. Rhonda believes every woman deserves care that’s personal, approachable, and tailored to her life.