We’re well under way into summer here in New Zealand and we all know how striking that sun is! We love and rejoice it, but, are we truly aware of the harm it causes when over exposure is consumed?
Founder of MiSkin Aesthetics in Auckland, Michelle Black, talks us through some interesting facts about skin cancer – it’s definitely worth a read! You never know, you could save a life!
Michelle has been a medical skin therapist for over 12 years and has worked alongside various world-leading doctors and has treated many clients with sun damage, ranging from mild to severe and extensive.
“The sad thing is, there is a lot of misinformation out there in the industry, lack of education, and the reality is, skin cancer preventable,” says Michelle.
“I am passionate about education and I encourage my clients (especially my younger ones) about preventative care rather than just ‘reactive’ measures where we go guns blazing with clinical peels or laser, for example, and I passionately educate my clients about skin health.”
These are things that she wants you to be aware of:
- Skin cancer is preventable
With the world’s highest death rate of melanoma, according to New Zealand’s Cancer Society, and a staggering 80,000 people diagnosed each year, it is possible to prevent melanoma and skin cancer. Reportedly, skin cancer equates to 80% of new cancers diagnosed each year and that’s really eye opening!
Diligent use of physical sunscreens/sunblock and reapplication, mindful exposure to the sun, ensuring a healthy vitamin D level, covering skin when outside for a period of time, and incorporating powerful vitamins into your daily skincare routine from an effective and cosmeceutical grade skincare range can literally save your life.
- We don’t need to bake in the sun to tan
Ladies, we can achieve a gorgeous glow and tan without baking ourselves to a crisp! Fake it to make it and apply tanning products to bronze. Alternatively, even just being in the heat stimulates our pigment cells (melanocytes) to produce pigment. So, you can tan without even sitting in the sun!
- No one is immune from skin cancer
There is a dangerous misconception that only light skins burn in the sun – although they are significantly higher risk, this is a complete myth to think darker skin types will not burn or get skin cancer. In fact, these are the cases that largely go unnoticed!
- Skin cancer screening saves lives
Don’t put off that mole check-up or seeing your doctor if you notice something irregular on your skin. Get seen and soon. Be aware of the ABCDE rule:
- A – Asymmetry:
- B – Border irregularity: rough or jagged edges
- C – Colour variability or change: brown, tan, black, red, white or blue
- D – Diameter/Different: Larger than six millimetres
- E – Evolving: Changing, growing, bleeding, etc.
- Sun damage is accumulative
Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk of developing melanoma, but skin cancer can form from repeated sun exposure over time regardless of whether sunburn has occurred or not. This chronic exposure to UV can lead to signs of ageing in later years, pigmentation disorders, and potentially skin cancers.