Sun advice from a skin cancer expert

A view of Ramla Beach, Gozo

Photo: Evy van Kan on Unsplash

There is certainly growing awareness of the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun, including skin cancers.

Still, I see in both my medical practice as a skin cancer specialist and in the course of my research as an associate professor of oncology that there are still many harmful habits and ideas about tanning that still circulate.

As a result, many may think they’re already doing enough to look after themselves and their families when the incidence of skin cancer is actually growing. Clearly, we need to do more to stay safe, and that starts with knowledge.

Perhaps someday, we will look at lying on a beach slathered with oil in the same way we look at smoking cigarettes. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is also a carcinogen and, like smoking, is a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Here are some sun facts to think about and act on:

Remember to check your skin monthly for skin cancer using the ABCDE rule. Our sunny season is long, and it’s important to enjoy the outdoors. The point isn’t to be sun-scared — just stay sun-safe.

Elaine McWhirter, Chair, Melanoma/Skin Disease Site Group, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences, and Associate Professor, Oncology, McMaster University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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