The Master Painter Australia - April 2016 Vol. 1 | Page 18

THE MASTER PAINTER AUSTRALIA 018 Staying Sun Smart this Summer Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Skin covers the body protecting it from injury. It also regulates your temperature and prevents you from becoming dehydrated. Given how important this vital organ is to your overall health and wellbeing, it is important to protect it. For painters, who work outside in the sun all day, being sun smart is the first line of defence. Every year approximately 374,000 new cases of BCC and SCC are diagnosed which results in around 360 deaths. More than 10,000 new cases of Melanoma are diagnosed. Although Melanoma makes up only 5% of all skin cancers it is responsible for 90% of skin cancer deaths. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. It is estimated that 1 in 2 people who spend their life in Australia will develop skin cancer. Who is at Risk? Cancer does not discriminate. You can develop skin cancer, regardless of your skin colour or general health. Risk factors include: • Having more than 200 moles on your body • Moles on your body that have an uneven colour or irregular shape (Dysplastic naevi) What Is Skin Cancer? • A close relative (mother, father, sibling, child) who has been diagnosed with Melanoma Skin cancer has three main types; Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. • Infrequent but intense periods of exposure to UV radiation resulting in sunburn (such as on holidays or during recreational activity) The main cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation comes from the sun andcan also come from other sources, such as solarium tanning machines. • Fair skin that burns easily, freckles and doesn’t tan • Red or fair hair and blue or green eyes • People with olive or dark skin have more natural protection against skin cancer because their skin produces more melanin than fair-skinned people. However, because UV radiation is so strong in Australia, dark and olive-skinned people still need to protect their skin.