May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

And with the weather set to make a slight improvement this weekend, it seems a good time to be reminding people about being cautious in the sun and the risks of skin cancer.

86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable and in the UK, cases have been rising in recent years. There are now more than 16,000 new cases each year in the UK.

Facts About Skin Cancer:

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world
• 1 in 36 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime
• 1 in 47 women will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime
• 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable
• There are two types of skin cancers: melanoma and non-melanoma
• Non-melanoma refers to skin cancers which develop in the upper layer of your skin (the epidermis). You can be diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), most non-melanoma diagnoses are BCC, or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Both these types of skin cancers don’t spread to other parts of your body.
• Non-melanoma cancers usually develop in areas which are most exposed to the sun such as your face, ears, hands, shoulders, upper chest and back.
• Melanoma can spread to other parts of your body which is why it’s the more serious type of skin cancer.
• Overexposure to the sun or sunbeds are the main cause of all skin cancers. More than 1 in 4 skin cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50, which is usually early compared with most other types of cancer
• Brown or black skin is more susceptible to a type of melanoma that is not associated with sun exposure, but appears on the palms, soles, under the nails and in mucosal membranes such as the mouth. These areas should be regularly checked for people with this skin type. (source: British Skin Foundation)

What you can do:

Here is some advice about how to look after your skin and protect it from sun damage:

• Always use 5* UVA rated sun protection SPF 30-50.
• Wear broad spectrum sunscreen daily to protect against sun exposure as well as digital screen light damage from harmful visible light rays
• Don’t forget to apply sun cream to those easy to miss places – lips, tops of ears, back of neck, feet and scalp.
• Drink plenty of water. Cover up with a hat and long sleeves.
• Limit your time in the sun and stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm.
• Do not let your skin go red or burn.
• Protection can rub off when it comes into contact with sand, water, towels or sweat, so you should reapply every two hours. Do not use a sunbed or sunlamp. If it is important for you to look tanned, use fake tan lotions or sprays.
• Protect your skin with a professional skincare program
• Restore healthy skin with specific laser treatments available from clinic for treatment of dischromia (the brown pigmentation and small red thread veins and angionas left by sun damage).

If you have any concerns, be sure to book a mole screening appointment with one of our doctors.

It’s important to check your skin regularly for any changes.

Here you can find a video of how to do a self examination.

Plasma treatment

We use a plasma device in clinic to remove lesions such as solar or actinic keratosis.

These are rough, scaly patches on the skin that develop due to chronic exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet or UV light).

Although solar keratosis and actinic keratosis lesions are not usually serious – a small proportion of them can develop into skin cancer.

You can find a video on our website of plasma being performed.

Get in touch if you have any further questions.

02081503400