Being far from a sunlight alarmist, I've cautiously enjoyed reasonable sun exposure for most of my adult life. Even when cautions are taken to not get sun burned, if you have naturally fair skin, and especially as you age, your skin just becomes more susceptible to skin cancer development. Skin cancers like basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinoma are very common, especially in people with lightly complected skin. 

I've had several run ins with basal cell carcinoma, starting when I was in my late twenties. While I know sun exposure is partly to blame, I do think nutrition and genetics come into play as well. But as I've gotten older, I realize how important it is to get regular dermatologist check ups if you have a predisposition to getting skin cancer.

My dermatologist has emphasized wearing head to toe sunscreen and making sure you wear hats any time you are exposed to the sun. I follow some of this advice, but I do still personally believe sunlight exposure is vital to bodily functions, mood stabilization, and vitamin D production, so I do still exposre my skin to the sun while trying to stay out of the mid afternoon bright light without adequate protection. For me it's about moderation.

Back to the recommendation of wearing a hat if you're taking walks or going to be exposed for long periods to sunlight.  Yes, even your scalp can get skin cancer, and it's often overlooked in checkups even. Most people wouldn't notice scalp lesions since they're covered by hair, so it is important to have your dermatologist check there too.

Hats offer a physical barrier to sunlight - a simple white ball cap will keep your scalp protected while also keeping your head cool. You can also use powders and even some sprays with SPF that are designed to help protect your scalp. There are even some dry shampoos that offer SPF protection.  

So Why Is It Important to Get Skin Cancer Checkups?

If you have no history of skin cancer, and have not so much as ever thought you might have one (think of small wounds that don't ever seem to heal, strange discolorations, etc), then you may be able to just get a checkup once a year. However, if you're like me, and you've had several experiences with different types of skin cancer, the recommendation (and I do stick to it) is a check up every 6 months. 

Sure, you can check your own skin any time you want, but a good dermatologist should be trained to look in areas you or a mirror can't necessarily reach. They should be looking behind your ears, on your ears (which are always exposed), on your scalp and many other places where it's difficult for one to do a self-check.

Sometimes you must advocate for yourself too, even if you are going to a trained professional to get checkups. Case in point, I had a strange spot on my right upper arm for a long time that I thought was a hard keloid or keratosis type of spot.  I eventually point blank asked my dermatologist about it and she shaved it and subsequently sent it for biopsy.

I'm really glad I asked, because it ended up being a squamous cell carcinoma! So, you really have to be vigilant yourself and bring things up if they don't look or feel right, because doctors don't always catch everything.