Most of us are aware that sun damage is accumulative, no matter what our age, causing premature ageing and seriously increasing the risk of skin cancer. Here in New Zealand, we have one of the highest rates of skin cancers globally, and we’re touted as the “Melanoma capital of the world” given our high incidence rates. Yet despite our alarming statistics, a significant proportion of Kiwis – in fact 31% of us, according to a Herald-Digipoll survey – avoid mole checks. But just like lesions, there’s always the capacity to change, here’s why you should onboard with your skin.
Early detection matters . . .
Skin cancers can cause nerve damage, cause sore, broken wounds, leave permanent scarring and progress to deadly territory if left untreated. Fortunately, skin cancer is very treatable – even melanoma – if detected early on.
Skin cancers can be disfiguring and even deadly if allowed to progress. That’s why early detection is so important – skin cancer is very treatable if detected in its early stages. According the US Skin Cancer Foundation, “The estimated five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls to 75 percent when the disease reaches the lymph nodes and 35 percent when the disease metastasizes to distant organs.”
Unfortunately, melanoma can strike at any age, and the deeper the tumour growth, the greater the risk of spread. Melanoma can present on any part of the body and spread rapidly too.
“If you have a high number of moles, your risk of developing melanoma or other skin cancers is higher – even up to seven times more likely if you have more than 100 moles,” reports Molemap NZ.
No exemptions . . .
Not everyone will develop skin cancer but the risk is too great to ignore. Even those with darker skin, who have more melanin content which acts as a protectant, aren’t exempt from developing melanoma or other cancer types. UVB and UVA light damage our cells differently. UVB light damages the surface layers of our skin, which causes sunburn. UVA penetrates the deeper layers of the skins and causes oxidative stress and production of free radicals which contribute to skin cancer and skin ageing. Both are responsible for skin cancer causation.
“If we look at melanoma, the risk of dying from melanoma is inherently related to the depth of the cancer. The deeper the tumour growth, the greater the risk of spread to other areas of the body,” explains Dr Brandon Adams, cosmetic and plastic surgeon at Da Vinci Plastic Surgery Clinic. “Because skin cancers can present on any part of the body, trained professionals examine all hidden areas too. This includes insides of ears, the scalp, behind the ears, fingernails, butt cheeks, backs of legs, palms of hands, soles of feet and toenails.”
There’s no better time to address skin matters than when the weather dial turns down. Why? “Because skin lesions can be easier to examine once our summer skin behaviours have settled down i.e. sun freckling and tanning that occurs on sun-exposed skin,” explains Adam Bialostocki, Da Vinci Plastic Surgery Clinic’s cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, and skin cancer expert. “When we start pulling on the winter layers, we’re less likely to notice changes in moles – or any new moles – and unusual skin behaviour.”
This can include assessing any spots that are growing, areas that are getting darker in colour and any itching or bleeding on and around moles.
Self-check between professional checks . . .
Keeping a close eye on any skin changes, across your entire body, is essential for peace-of-mind and early detection in between annual professional checks. If you sense any burning or bleeding, pain or ulceration, or your mole becomes elevated or increases in diameter, you should seek guidance immediately. Generally speaking, any mole, lesion or patch of skin that is drawing attention to itself should be checked out.
Following an ABCDE mode of skin cancer examining, is what many skin cancer specialists recommend . . .
Asymmetry – questioning the mole shape,
Border – assessing a smooth or ragged edge,
Colour variation – pinpointing any patches of white, red or blue,
Diameter – measuring the area across the mole and,
Evolving – questioning whether the spot has changed in any way.
Our two most common cancers in New Zealand are Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma. SCC are typically reddish, crusty lesions which can feel tender to touch – fair skinned people are likely candidates, and men are twice as likely to develop SCC lesions. BBC lesions are sometimes pearly in appearance, or pale and waxyin texture – approximately 85% will showcase on the head and neck region, and are most common in fair skinned people.
Aim to check your body in sections. Bend elbows and examine forearms and back/palms of hands. Use a mirror to check the back of your neck, behind your ears, and your scalp – you may need a hand parting your hair in places to get a good look. Check chest, upper back, shoulders and under arms. Use a hand mirror to examine buttocks, gentiles and lower back. Don’t forget to check between your toes, soles of feet and along the back of your legs too.
Hitting the slopes this winter season? Don’t forget to stay covered when you are skiing or snowboarding down the mountain slopes or planning a day of snow fun this winter season. UV rays reflecting off snow can have just as damaging effect on our skin as in warmer months, so keep up the sunscreen application – 30SPF+ is a must!
