Lauren Brookes, Melanographer at MoleMap in Bairnsdale uncovers the myths surrounding skin cancer and sun exposure.
Q. It is not possible to get sunburnt on cloudy or cool days?
A. False. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) is not visible to the eye and is different to the heat the sun emits. You can get burnt on windy, cloudy and cool days, as ultraviolet (UV) radiation can penetrate clouds, and may even be more intense due to reflection off the bottom of the clouds.
Don’t wait for sunny weather to protect your skin. Check your local sun protection times each day on the free SunSmart app.
Q. If you tan but don’t burn, you don’t need to bother with sun protection?
A. False. If your skin turns brown, it is a sign of sun damage, even if there is no redness or peeling. It’s your skin’s way of trying to protect itself because UV rays are damaging living cells. Tanning without burning can also cause premature skin ageing and skin cancer.
Q. If you were sunburnt or didn’t use sun protection when you were younger, is it a waste of time trying to protect your skin now?
A. False. While excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays in the first 10 years of life doubles your lifetime risk of melanoma, sun exposure later in life also counts. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer at any age, whether you are six, 16 or 60, by using good sun protection behaviours.
Q. Does Early detection of skin cancer save lives?
A. True. When detected early, skin cancers like melanoma have a five-year survival rate of approximately 99 per cent. Checking your skin for new or changing spots and getting regular professional checks are important in reducing mortality by finding skin cancers early, when they are most treatable.
Q. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world?
A. True. Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of skin cancer globally. This is due to a few factors including the location on earth being closer to the equator and the earth’s elliptical orbit bringing the Southern Hemisphere closer to the sun during the summer months, our outdoor lifestyle combined and there is a high percentage of the population that have pale skin.
How to spot a skin cancer
Skin cancers don’t all look the same, especially melanoma, but there are some signs to look out for, including one or more of:
– A spot that looks and feels different from other spots on your skin
– A spot that is new or old and has changed in size, shape, colour or texture
Other things to look for:
– A spot that is tender or sore to touch
– A sore that doesn’t heal within a few weeks
– A sore that is itchy or bleeds.
Skin cancer is primarily a visible cancer that is 95 per cent preventable. Know your own skin, Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide and have regular professional skin checks.
