WHAT MAKES US ‘AT RISK’ OF GETTING SKIN CANCER?
The first thing you need to know is what skin type you have. Read the descriptions below to work out what category most describes your skin:
SKIN TYPES SUN HISTORY
I always burns easily, never tans, extremely sun-sensitive skin
II can burn easily, tans minimally, very sun-sensitive skin
III sometimes burns, tans gradually to light brown, sun-sensitive skin
IV burns minimally, always tans to a moderate brown, minimally sun-sensitive
V rarely burns, tans darkly, sun-insensitive skin
VI never burns, deeply pigmented, sun-insensitive skin
The lighter your skin is, the more likely you are to burn, and the more sun protection you need. Burning is a cause of skin cancer, so we are going to look at how to protect our skin later.
OTHER FACTORS
You have a higher risk of developing cancer if you:
• ‘Binge’ tan or tan during your childhood. Those of you who let yourselves burn are at even higher risk. A great deal of skin damage from the sun is incurred before the age of 15 – this is why we need to protect our skin from a young age.
• Prolonged sunbathing and/or sun bed.
• If you have a family history of skin cancer. If you have, though, this just means you have to take good care of your skin and be sun aware and sun safe.
• A weak immune system. If you have a healthy body that you treat well with healthy food and exercise, your body will be stronger to fight all illnesses and infections.
• Smoking – apart from the fact it can cause lung cancer, smokers are more at risk of developing skin cancer. So that gives you two good reasons never to start!
For the latest developments in skin cancer research visit www.raft.ac.uk
