Eyes On Skin Cancer
Hi I’m Phoebe, during lockdown I completed an eyes on skincare awareness course to be more aware when working with clients, over the next few weeks we’ll be going over some of the things to look for with the rest of the girls, just to be more aware of signs of skin cancer?
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to skin cancer, you cannot always prevent melanoma but you can reduce your chances of getting it. Raising awareness on skin cancer is the first step we can to take to help as much as we can.
More than any other part of your body, you’re most likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer on your face. Most melanomas occur in areas exposed to ultraviolet light, such as your head, neck, face and ears, though you can get them on other parts of your body. By us developing our knowledge on the early signs we could notice things before you when making your hair perfect?
Did you know?
– [ ] Around 85% of skin cancers are caused by to much ultraviolet radiation
– [ ] Melanoma is the 5th most common skin cancer in the uk
– [ ] Since the 1990s skin cancer incidence rates have more than doubled by an 140% increase
Risks and causes
Ultra violet light (radiation) is the main environmental factor that increases the risk of meloma. Beginning with sunburn, people who have had sunburn and more likely than people who haven’t. Having sunburn several times through your life highers your risk of skin cancer in all ages.
Research shows the type of untra violet light used in sun beds can cause all types of skin cancer, meaning anyone who has ever used a sunbed have an increased risk of meloma.
Sun cream shouldn’t be used to stay in the sun longer but only to protect you whilst in the sun
Influencing factors
Skin colouring and freckles –
People who are very fair skinned especially with fair or red hair are more at risk for developing meloma, so are people with a lot of freckles.
People with darker skin tend to have more a more natural protection against it
Moles –
Studies found that skin cancer risk was 1/3 higher on those with more than 100 common moles compared to around 15 moles. It is so important to check your moles and be very careful about exposing yourself to the sun. People with large and lots of unusually shaped moles have a higher risk of meloma in general. A large mole is one greater than 5mm.
Genetic factors –
Some families tend to have large numbers of moles, or moles that are unusual (atypical moles). The atypical moles tend to be an irregular shape or colour and may be larger than usual.
An inherited condition called familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM) increases your risk of getting melanoma.
People with FAMMM have:
* many moles, some of which are unusual and often different sizes
* at least one close relative who’s had melanoma (a parent, brother, sister, child, aunt, uncle or grandparent)
Scientists think that around 10 out of 100 cases of melanoma (10%) might be linked to inherited faulty genes.
Other medical conditions
Medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other people with weakened immune systems (including people with hiv, aids and those on medicines to suppress the immune system) are more likely to develop melanoma skin cancer
The ABCDEs of melanoma
The first five letters of the alphabet are a guide to help you recognize the warning signs of melanoma.
A is for Asymmetry. Most melanomas are asymmetrical. If you draw a line through the middle, the two halves don’t match, so it looks different from a symmetrical common mole.
B is for Border. Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have bumpy edges. Common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders.
C is for Colour. Multiple colours are a warning sign. While common moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black. As it grows, the colors red, white or blue may also appear.
D is for Diameter or Dark. While it’s ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it’s a warning sign if your mole is about 6 mm or larger.
Rare, amelanotic melanomas are colourless.
E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, color or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma.
If you notice these warning signs and symptoms, or see anything new, changing or insist on your skin see a dermatologist promptly.
