Skin Cancer in Australia
 

Just mentioned this somewhere else, and started reading the source of the info, and thought it might be interesting for you all.
I think it is worth a read.

Skin Cancer in Australia

This is a little bit.
Each year, over 374,000 Australians are diagnosed with for skin cancer and almost 360 Australians die.

However, don't panic.....

The Cancer Research UK has figures for UK cancer also....
There are over 69,000 new cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year in the UK.
Over 2,000 people die from skin cancer each year in the UK

I think it is a case of "being prepared, checking, and doing something about it."

Most people who get sunburnt do so when the temperature is between 18 and 27 degrees due to the misunderstanding that UV is not so strong on a cool day

Re: Skin Cancer in Australia
 

Good point and thanks for the info - as a redhead who burns easily and rarely used suncream as a teenager :eek: and thinking of going (back) to Australia (left when I was a little kid) it makes interesting reading. However, the figures for the UK will be comparatively higher as there are around 60 million people in the UK and only 20 million in Australia. So many Brits head for foreign climes like Spain and the Caribbean giving no thought to using adequate sun protection, using low factor oils for example so they tan quicker. Another thing I've noticed is that sun cream in the UK is so expensive that a lot of people don't bother with it or buy cheap stuff that doesn't really work. Even in the UK it gets hot sometimes and people should protect themselves. I always use factor 30+ now and I just hope it isn't too little too late. When I was young no-one pointed out the dangers of too much exposure to UV rays - suncreams were obviously available, have been for years but it was just one of those things that was recommended to stop you getting burned, there wasn't any proper information about what long term exposure could mean in the future. That's no excuse of course because my parents always tried to make sure we were covered up and used sun cream as children, but once my sister and I became teenagers and were responsible for our own actions, we just never bothered unless it got really hot or we'd already got burned! Too late by then of course, the damage is done. My little boy is now 4 and has never burned in his life because I've always smothered him in high factor sunblock - he'll thank me for it one day.

excellent link

excellent link

Yes, good link there. It's actually made me feel a bit better, in some ways, because I have a total paranoia of getting skin cancer. I' m dark-haired, don't burn and always cover myself in high-factor stuff, but I know just how strong the sun is out there and it does worry me. That link puts it all into perspective.

The British culture of ignore the warnings cos its not that bad just doesn't work in Australia.

Its that time of year where over here in the UK we see people come to work on a Monday morning with bright red faces because they've been out without cream in the sun.

Go to any holiday resort in the UK on a hot day and I guarantee you that you'll see at least one lagered up bloke, naked from the waste up with horrendous sunburn, who's obviously well-ard!
Some of the sun burn you see is just horrible - makes you cringe just looking at it......"now thats got to hurt"

Don't think any of them would dare do it in Australia eh?

Marko

The British culture of ignore the warnings cos its not that bad just doesn't work in Australia.

Its that time of year where over here in the UK we see people come to work on a Monday morning with bright red faces because they've been out without cream in the sun.

Go to any holiday resort in the UK on a hot day and I guarantee you that you'll see at least one lagered up bloke, naked from the waste up with horrendous sunburn, who's obviously well-ard!
Some of the sun burn you see is just horrible - makes you cringe just looking at it......"now thats got to hurt"

Don't think any of them would dare do it in Australia eh?

Marko

Trouble is, over here, GPs don't know enough about skin cancer. Mr B (an aussie) has a couple of moles that he would rather get removed if he could because he thinks they might cause him problems in the future. Our GP refuses to refer him as he reckons there's nothing actually wrong with them. In Oz, he could just get them whipped off.

There is hope though: our local hospital has just opened a brand new Skin Cancer Unit.

Something my mum told me, makes me hat-mad with my kids. She knows a lovely young Greek bloke, a fighter pilot in the Greek army. He's been diagnosed with skin cancer on his scalp, which is growing deeper. She hasn't seen him for a while, so I hope he's OK.
My little boy is blond (he's 19 months), but he's got long-ish hair. I wouldn't want to cut it short for the summer, he's got a mummy-boy bowl cut lol. He's driving me mad with his dislike of hats though, so I've resorted to putting suncream on his head!

:confused:

Why do people find this reassuring:scared:

20 million aussies so 1 in 53 get skin cancer

60 million poms so 1 in 869 get skin cancer

Then if you read on the australian article it says another 1000 die of melanoma add add that to the 374, then take into account the population and almost 3 times as many aussies die!

Even with the irresponsible atttitude to sun you see in the UK and the avoid at all costs attitude in OZ the figures in OZ are way higher.

Australian article also mentions 15 mnutes in their sun is enough to do the damage.

Not quite sure when you tot the figures how this is one bit reassuring at all:scared:

Because I thought the figures were actually higher than that in Oz - something along the lines of 1 in 20.

I would defo. recommend a thorough read of the first article. I just went back and had a look. Things I noticed - we don't tend to use enough cream, you need to apply the cream 20 minutes before exposure etc., everyone (all skin types) are at risk, early detection is important (knew that one, just thought I would emphasise it).
BTW For anyone going to Aus soon with children, there are some children's sunsuits in Aldi from 24th June, only £5.99. Just don't buy all the Pompey stock before I get there. :D

Not wishing to downplay the problems associated with melanoma, but I think it would be irresponsible and impractical to remove every mole from everyone. I've got moles, no doubt like most if not all people, and I don't see them as problematical per se. Is this just English insouciance or are Mr B's moles likely to be particularly troublesome in some way?

Well there's a history of skin cancer in his family, and these do look a little suspicious. He's been to see our GP 3 times about them, but they won't do anything about them. Fair enough, in a way, as it would drain the NHS etc. But if he's worrying about them, why not get them removed?

My younger brother is very fair-skinned and blond. He has had lots of moles removed, despite the fact that there is nothing wrong with them - more as a precaution. Added to this is the fact that he gets terrible keloids, so has massive scars from each mole removal.

Best "SubBlock"? An all year round light tan, a broad rimmed hat and something more substantial than a string of beads.

"SunCream" - put it where it don't shine.