SA may have world’s highest melanoma rate

Dermatologists are raising the alarm about the high levels of melanoma in South Africa and warning the public to exercise increased caution when exposed to the sun.

Dr Jeremy O’Kennedy, a dermatologist at Morningside Mediclinic in Sandton, said melanoma was a particularly dangerous form of skin cancer and that there was a direct correlation between exposure to the sun and a heightened risk of developing it.

“In my practice alone, I’m diagnosing up to 30 cases a week, which is exceptionally high by international standards.

“Unfortunately, official statistics are unreliable, but anecdotal evidence suggests the incidence of melanoma in South Africa is the highest in the world.”

O’Kennedy said fair-skinned people have lower levels of melanin in their skin, which makes them more vulnerable to damage caused by the sun. But people with darker skins shouldn’t be complacent.

Check for any visible changes to your skin as these might indicate the presence of melanoma. A simple way to do this is to follow the ABCDE rule:

Asymmetrical: Is the mole or growth uneven? Melanomas are usually uneven in appearance.

Border: Are the edges irregular? They usually have irregular borders.

Colour: Does the colour vary? They usually vary in colour.

Diameter: Is it larger than 6mm in diameter? They are usually larger than 6mm in diameter.

Evolving: Is it changing in size, shape, or colour?

Evolving melanomas usually change their appearance.

O’Kennedy stressed that it is extremely important to use sunscreen daily and minimise exposure to the sun, by keeping out of the sun completely between 10am and 2pm.

The next line of defence is baseline screening, a routine procedure conducted using a hand-held device called a dermatoscope to determine whether you have any early warning signs of melanoma.