Vim & Vigor - Summer 2017 - North Mississippi - 25
The 20s and 30s 3 Cervical cancer. Ideally, women It's a great idea to wear sunscreen every single day, not just when you're going to the beach. PHOTO BY SHAPECHARGE /GETTY IMAGES should have had the HPV vaccine as girls, but young women who are not yet sexually active may want to get the vaccine to help prevent HPV infection and cervical cancer. An annual Pap exam used to be recommended, but that's no longer the case. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now says women at normal risk should have a Pap exam at age 21 with a repeat test every three years, or beginning at age 30, women can have a Pap test along with an HPV test every five years. 3 Infectious diseases. Women should have a tetanus booster every 10 years. "That's a big one, especially for people who travel," says Lynne M. Lillie, MD, a family physician and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Collegeage women, especially those living in dorms, should have the meningitis vaccine. You should check your records to see whether you've been vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, particularly if you travel a lot or are exposed to blood or bodily fluids in your line of work. And everyone should get a flu shot every year. 3 Sexually transmitted diseases. You should be screened for gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV regularly once you're sexually active, depending on your risk factors. 3 Skin cancer. While there are no specific screening recommendations, Lillie points out that skin cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancers in the United States. "I do think it's important for women to be paying attention to their skin, watching for changing lesions or moles and seeing their family physician once a year or as needed," she says. SUMME R 2017 25
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