Don’t be afraid to be skin savvy

There are two scary words that come to mind when we consider skin health: malignant melanoma.

This is the dangerous, life-threatening skin cancer – usually a mole that changes in a sinister way – that we all hope never to find. But don’t let that put you off looking out for it.

According to the NHS, malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK. Around 16,000 new cases are diagnosed and 2,300 people die of it every year.

‘The average person in the UK has a one in 150 chance of developing melanoma in their lifetime. But if you can recognise the initial signs early on, it can be completely cured,’ says Dr Friedmann. ‘Do remember that the fairer your skin is, the more watchful you need to be. If you have very pale skin your risk of skin cancer is about 20 times higher than if you have black skin.’