This week is National Skin Cancer Action Week - a joint effort by Cancer Council Australia and the Australasian College of Dermatologists, and wholeheartedly supported by the National Skin Cancer Centres.
Two in three Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70 and we are the melanoma capital of the world, so this week is an ideal time to remind Australians of the importance of sun protection and getting regular skin checks.
More than 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer every year and melanoma is the most common skin cancer in young Australians aged 15 to 39, but the disease doesn't have to be fatal. If caught early enough, skin cancer has a cure rate of 99 per cent. Early detection is the key to successful treatment.
Most skin cancers can be prevented by adopting good sun protection habits. Cancer Council Australia estimates that we spend more than $1 billion every year treating skin cancer, but we could prevent majority of skin cancers by following the age-old motto of slip, slop, slap, seek and slide: slip on sun-protective clothing, slop on SPF30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen, slap on a broad-brimmed hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses.
Alarmingly,research by Cancer Council Australia has shown the message that there’s nothing healthy about a tan is still not reaching the majority of Australian teens, with 62 per cent saying their friends think a tan is a good thing. This year, National Skin Cancer Action Week encourages us to #OwnYourTone rather than strive for a tan, as tanning causes permanent damage to our skin cells leading to premature ageing and skin cancer.
A combination of these preventative measures - along with getting to know your skin and seeking regular skin checks from a professional - are the key to reducing your skin cancer risk.
GET YOUR FREE SUNSENSE ULTRA SUNSCREEN!
We are giving away a FREE* Sunsense Ultra 125ml sunscreen to all new patients who book a full-body skin check during National Skin Cancer Action Week: 18-24 November 2018. Appointments can be made for any time!
* Only valid for new patients booking a full-body skin check online. Limited to first 200 bookings made online during 18-24 November.