Australians are our times more likely to develop a skin cancer than any other form of skin cancer. This is why regular surveillance is recommended as as approximately 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with a skin cancer before the age of 70.
It is vital that you monitor your skin and see a doctor if you notice that a spot has changed or if there is anything of concern. Most spots are not cancer and thus prompt evaluation by a specialist can alleviate a lot of anxiety. At our clinic we can assess your skin to determine if there are any potential cancer spots.
Ongoing surveillance is very important for people who have many sunspots or moles. Even if they had not ever had a skin cancer, a yearly check is recommended. Photography can be a useful way of checking any change in skin spots, especially if there are several of them.
If you have had a previous history of skin cancer, then more frequent check ups are recommended. This is a statistically if you have had one skin cancer, you are more at risk of developing a second one. This is because the level of sun damage to your skin has already occurred.
Skin Cancer Prevention
To minimize skin cancer risk you should avoid:
- excessive sun exporsure especially between 10am and 3pm- when the UV intensisty is greatest
- wear sun protection- Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30+ and apply before swimming and afterwards too
- appropriate sun screen and clothing including
- avoid tanning booths