Skin cancer is common in Ireland. We see about 11,000 new skin cancers per year in Ireland. While we do not have high temperatures or much blue sky or yellow sun, we do have high levels of ultra violet radiation. Thankfully most of the skin cancer is seen and treated early. My general rule is that if something is scaly, flaky, weepy or scaly on your skin and is not healing up after about 9 or 10 weeks, ask yourself a simple question….”why is that not behaving like normal skin?”. The other thing to watch on your skin is changes that might appear in a mole or freckle.
This is what I hear everyday in clinic…….“Shur, there is no sun in Ireland, how could I be at risk…..?” Skin cancer is common in Ireland. There are almost 12,000 new cases diagnosed in Ireland every year. This figure is expected to double by 2040.
In Ireland the UV levels are high from March to September. This means minding your skin every one of those days with either a brimmed hat or a cream with a high SpF built in. A product must protect against UVA + UVB rays in the environment. Most products have a circle around the UVA on the front of the bottle which means there is adequate UVA protection. Look for the UVA sign when you buy.
“One of my golden rules…….If something is new on your skin, scaly, flaky, weepy or crusty and not healing up after 8 or 10 weeks……ask yourself a simple question….why is this not behaving like normal skin?”