Alarmingly 2 out 3 Australians develop skin cancers before they reach 70 and in North Queensland our skin cancer rates are even higher!

Though the cause of skin cancer can very occasionally be occupational (from chemical exposure to products such as arsenic or coal tar) or due to rare genetic disorders a massive 99% of skin cancers are caused quite simply by UV radiation from the sun.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Be SUN SMART!!

  • Stay out of the sun between 10am and 2pm
  • Keep the kids away from the sun
  • Wear darker tightly woven fabrics
  • Wear a large brimmed hat
  • Wear UV blocking sun glasses
  • Use a broad-spectrum 50+ sunscreen on all sun exposed areas
  • Throw away year-old bottles of sunscreen
  • Remember to apply sunscreen to your lips
  • Be aware that shade and overcast days do not mean safety from sunburn!
  • Have regular skin checks by a trained professional who uses a dermatoscope to check your moles, spots and skin blemishes