Get To Know Your Skin

Our Health Writer, Colleen Shannon, learns what to look for. WHETHER you are going for shorter sleeves and hems, or even digging out your swimming costume, summer is the perfect time to give your skin some extra attention.

Of course, it’s important to make sure your skin is protected against too much sun. This is key in preventing skin cancer.

Did you know it is also a good idea to become familiar with the way your skin looks, so you can readily spot changes that your doctor needs to check?

To learn more, I asked Emma Shields, Health Information Officer at Cancer Research UK.

She explained that there are two main types of skin cancer: melanoma and non-melanoma. Melanoma skin cancer is more dangerous, and it is the fifth most common cancer in the UK.

For any type of skin cancer, early diagnosis gives you a better choice of options and a higher chance of treatment success.

For example, when they are diagnosed at the earliest stage, everyone with melanoma will survive their disease for at least five years. But when melanoma is diagnosed at its most advanced stage, sadly only a quarter of women and fewer than one in 10 men survive five years or more.

According to the charity, it’s not necessary to check your skin in a set way or at a set time. However, it is a good idea to get to know what your skin normally looks like. That way, you’re more likely to notice anything that’s unusual for you.

So what should you look out for? Skin cancer may appear as a new mole or mark, or it can be a change to something you’ve had for a while.

Watch for any changes in the size, shape or colour of a mole, freckle or normal patch of skin. If you see something like this, visit your GP quickly.

Also show your doctor if you notice a mole, new growth or sore that will not heal, itches or hurts, bleeds, oozes, crusts or scabs. Chances are it won’t be cancer, but it’s better to get it checked. Please be assured you will not be wasting the doctor’s time.

For more information about melanoma, please visit the Cancer Research UK website at www.cruk.org/about-cancer/ melanoma

And of course, enjoying the sun safely reduces the risk of skin cancer. We all need some sun for healthy bones, but it’s important not to overdo it. This is especially true if you get sunburned easily, if you have fair skin and hair or if you have lots of freckles or moles.

To be safe in the sun, seek out some shade during the middle of the day, cover up with loose clothes, sunglasses and a hat, and apply lots of sunscreen with at least SPF15 and four or five stars when the sun is strong. You can learn more about staying safe in the sun at www.cruk.org/sun.

You can also phone the charity’s nurse helpline with questions about any aspect of cancer. Call them on 0808 800 4040 for information and support. n