HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR MOLES LATELY?
It’s been a horrendous summer in New Zealand so far but don’t let the lack of rays make you complacent when it comes to skin safety. You need sunscreen even on dreary old days and ideally you should have your moles checked yearly to avoid deadly melanoma and skin cancers…
Go Fake
Stock up on the fake tan folks, new research suggests it could be saving lives. A study conducted in the US recently revealed that women who use fake tanning products are reducing their exposure to the sun. We recommend and stock That’s So Tan in a Can for a natural, streak-free finish.
Sun Downunder
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, while New Zealand has the highest rate of melanoma (which is the deadliest form of skin cancer).
In New Zealand, more than 2000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed in each year and melanomas kill more than a thousand Australians every year.
Mole Checks
A mole check is a quick and effective way to detect dangerous moles. After a fourth member of my family was recently been diagnosed with melanoma, I decided to face my fears and book an appointment with a dermatologist.
As a teen I rarely wore sunscreen and spent hours swimming in the local river, often burning to a dangerous scarlet. In the days leading up my mole check appointment I was a nervous wreck and contemplated cancelling. Ludicrously, I thought I’d rather not know if my skin was harbouring a lethal enemy…
In the end, I plucked up the courage and dragged my other half along for a check too (he was mortified at the prospect of having to reveal a mole in an extremely embarrassing place!)
The experience ended up being quick (20 minutes), painless and not all that embarrassing (even for my shy man). Using a specialised dermascope, the dermatologist checked out each and every mole on our bodies. We were both clear, although my partner does have a microscopic dot on his big toe that the dermatologist recommended he keep a close eye on. Almost impossible to see with the naked eye, it really hit home the necessity to have regular checkups with trained professionals who know what they’re looking for.
For more information, visit http://www.melanoma.org.nz/About-Melanoma/Key-Facts/
