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Australia has the
highest incidence of skin cancer in the world.
We all love the Australian sun. We
enjoy our outdoor life, our beaches, our footy, our cricket,
swimming, all the sporting pursuits and entertainments we take part
in. Sometimes, we forget our UV cream and to wear our hats,
resulting in sunburn.
Unfortunately, the sun can be a
killer. No, I'm not being melodramatic, it's true - one little
melanoma can metastasise very swiftly through your body. This
means weeks, not months! Statistics say that 1 in 2 Australians
can expect to get skin cancer at sometime in their lives.
The damage starts early, in childhood, and may not cause any
problems until your forties, fifties, or even later. It may start
with small dry scaly patches on your skin, which are painless, and
are most likely harmless. In a small percentage of cases, these
will turn into skin cancer.
I feel very strongly about this - I've
had it. It crept up in a very insidious manner, as a dry scaly
patch in the small of my back. I thought it was a scar from an
insect bite. Luckily, when I visited my dermatologist to have a
check up, I asked him about it.
Imagine my horror, when he informed me
that it was a basal skin cell carcinoma!
If you get cancer, this is the best
form to get - it's the easiest to cure. In my case, all that was
needed was one easy treatment, to freeze it. Now all that is
left is a small scar, and a lesion. I also get my skin checked far
more often.
You are at risk if you are fair
skinned, blue-eyed, redheaded or blonde. Dark skinned people are
less at risk, but should also take precautions. Our sun burns
easily, especially with the current damage to the ozone layer, which
lets the UV rays into the atmosphere.
Some precautions you can take:-
1 Cover up whenever you can
when outside
2. Wear at least factor 15 UV Block
3. Wear a broad brimmed hat - heads burn too
Don't forget that the sun's reflection
can burn even if you are in the shade. If you are out on the
water, this is especially important. Your skin will burn in ten
minutes in the sun and in about forty minutes in the shade. Take
all the precautions you can - remember, the sun can be a killer!
That being said, please don't avoid
being outside - we need sunlight for vitamin D absorbsion. Just
be sunwise - your skin will thank you for it, and it won't age so
quickly either!
For further information go to:
http://www.cancer.org.au
or
http://www.sunsmart.com.au |
