Summer is on its way, and that means longer days, hotter temperatures, and more sunshine.
As great as this sounds, it does of course have a downside. Skin cancer is a serious problem here, and everyone needs to not only be aware of the dangers of sun exposure, but also how to protect themselves from it.
As great as this sounds, it does of course have a downside. Skin cancer is a serious problem here, and everyone needs to not only be aware of the dangers of sun exposure, but also how to protect themselves from it.
The sun in New Zealand
As Kiwis, we are constantly told to be careful of the sun, and with good reason. Almost 70,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year in New Zealand, about 4 times as many as all other cancers combined.
In fact, per capita, New Zealand has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with the incidence of melanoma in here four times higher than the UK, Canada and the United States.
The antipode of New Zealand is Spain, and as hot and sunny as our Spanish cousins are, we receive up to 40% more Ultraviolet light compared to them. This, mixed with New Zealand’s Irish/British heritage, may explain the high rates of skin cancer here.
In fact, per capita, New Zealand has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with the incidence of melanoma in here four times higher than the UK, Canada and the United States.
The antipode of New Zealand is Spain, and as hot and sunny as our Spanish cousins are, we receive up to 40% more Ultraviolet light compared to them. This, mixed with New Zealand’s Irish/British heritage, may explain the high rates of skin cancer here.
Sunscreen and SPF
There are lots of different sunscreens available on the market, but what are the differences and which is right for you?
Sunscreens work in a very basic way – the simply block the sun’s radiation (ultraviolet light) from reaching your skin. The radiation itself comes in two forms, UVA and UVB waves.
Ultraviolet A waves are longwave rays, while Ultraviolet B waves are shortwave rays.
The former longwave rays are responsible for aging, while the latter shortwave rays which are thought to be the most dangerous.
UVA waves penetrate deeper into the skin due to their longer wave frequency, breaking down the collagen and elastin in the deeper dermal layer. It is this kind of radiation which causes 90% of premature sun-aging, affecting the tone, colour and texture of the skin.
The shorter UVB waves tend to damage the skin's more superficial epidermal layers, damaging your skin’s DNA on a cellular level, and causing genetic mutations which manifest as cancer.
Sunscreens combine different ingredients which help stop these harmful rays from getting through to your skin. Different sunscreens offer different “levels” of protection, rated as SPF, or Sun Protection Factor.
A minimum of SPF 15 is recommended for protection, and with anything above SPF 30, the difference becomes negligible. Sunscreen labelled over 50 is considered dangerous because it gives a false sense of protection, and people tend not to reapply when needed.
SPF 15 will block out around 93% of the sun’s ultraviolet light, with SPF 30 bringing the figure up to 98%. Using SPF 50 will only increase that to 98.8%.
Remember, the Sun Protection Factor is only a rough estimate, and every individual is unique in their skin sensitivity. Regardless of its strength, sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours.
Sunscreens work in a very basic way – the simply block the sun’s radiation (ultraviolet light) from reaching your skin. The radiation itself comes in two forms, UVA and UVB waves.
Ultraviolet A waves are longwave rays, while Ultraviolet B waves are shortwave rays.
The former longwave rays are responsible for aging, while the latter shortwave rays which are thought to be the most dangerous.
UVA waves penetrate deeper into the skin due to their longer wave frequency, breaking down the collagen and elastin in the deeper dermal layer. It is this kind of radiation which causes 90% of premature sun-aging, affecting the tone, colour and texture of the skin.
The shorter UVB waves tend to damage the skin's more superficial epidermal layers, damaging your skin’s DNA on a cellular level, and causing genetic mutations which manifest as cancer.
Sunscreens combine different ingredients which help stop these harmful rays from getting through to your skin. Different sunscreens offer different “levels” of protection, rated as SPF, or Sun Protection Factor.
A minimum of SPF 15 is recommended for protection, and with anything above SPF 30, the difference becomes negligible. Sunscreen labelled over 50 is considered dangerous because it gives a false sense of protection, and people tend not to reapply when needed.
SPF 15 will block out around 93% of the sun’s ultraviolet light, with SPF 30 bringing the figure up to 98%. Using SPF 50 will only increase that to 98.8%.
Remember, the Sun Protection Factor is only a rough estimate, and every individual is unique in their skin sensitivity. Regardless of its strength, sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours.
Who should be using sunscreen?
Everyone should be using sunscreen daily, regardless of whether they are outdoors or not. Even on a cloudy day, 40% of ultraviolet light makes it to the ground, and anyone working in an office beside a window needs to be aware of the damage it can do.
Children under 6 months should be kept out of the sun altogether, as their skin is highly sensitive, both to sunlight and the chemicals in sunscreen.
When buying sunscreen, be sure to buy one with protection from both UVA and UVB waves. Be careful when buying “water-resistant” sunscreen, as these give a false sense of security and only last for 40 minutes in the water. No sunscreens are called water-proof these days because none of them actually are.
Children under 6 months should be kept out of the sun altogether, as their skin is highly sensitive, both to sunlight and the chemicals in sunscreen.
When buying sunscreen, be sure to buy one with protection from both UVA and UVB waves. Be careful when buying “water-resistant” sunscreen, as these give a false sense of security and only last for 40 minutes in the water. No sunscreens are called water-proof these days because none of them actually are.
Detection and treatment
Melanoma is the most common type of skin cancer, but if caught early is almost always curable. And that’s the trick - catching it early. Becoming familiar with your existing moles, spots, and your skin overall is the first step in cancer prevention.
Check yourself regularly, and if possible, have all those marks and lesions recorded and checked with a mole map or by dermatoscopy. More and more Doctors are becoming skilled in the use of a dermatoscope. This small magnifying instrument can give very positive clues to indicate early skin cancers.
Warning signs to look out for include a change in colour, size or shape of any mole or freckle. Rarely, melanomas can become itchy or bleed, but usually there are no symptoms.
Check yourself regularly, and if possible, have all those marks and lesions recorded and checked with a mole map or by dermatoscopy. More and more Doctors are becoming skilled in the use of a dermatoscope. This small magnifying instrument can give very positive clues to indicate early skin cancers.
Warning signs to look out for include a change in colour, size or shape of any mole or freckle. Rarely, melanomas can become itchy or bleed, but usually there are no symptoms.
How we can help
Our aim is to detect and treat these skin cancers as early as possible. Our experienced Doctors and nurses use dermatoscopy to examine and identify any suspicious skin lesions, and have the expertise to treat most pre-cancerous skin cancers like warts, seborrheic keratoses, skin tags and other benign skin lesions, right here in the clinic using radiofrequency surgery.
Malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma require excision. Actinic keratoses and some early basal cell carcinoma can be treated by a variety of procedures including radiofrequency surgery and photodynamic therapy.
If you have any questions or worries about a mole, growth or lesion, please do not hesitate to contact us and book in an appointment. Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma require excision. Actinic keratoses and some early basal cell carcinoma can be treated by a variety of procedures including radiofrequency surgery and photodynamic therapy.
If you have any questions or worries about a mole, growth or lesion, please do not hesitate to contact us and book in an appointment. Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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