Teens & Skin Cancer

How much do you know?

1. What are five ways you can protect yourself from skin cancer? (Hint- they all start with the letter S).

2. The UV emitted from solariums can be stronger than the sun. True or False?

3. At what time of the day are UV rays the most intense?

4. What percentage of Australians will develop skin cancer before the age of 70?

5. Can individuals with naturally dark skin get skin cancer?

How much do you know?

6. By the age of 15, Australian children have how many moles on average?

7. How much sun exposure is required to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D?

8. How many Australians die from skin cancer each year?

9. Can anyone use a solarium?

10. Cancer contributes to what

percentage of all youth deaths?

Answers

1. Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide

2. True. Solariums use ultraviolet (UV) radiation to give people a tan. The levels of UV radiation emitted can be up to six times as strong as the midday sun.

3. 10am-2pm

4. 2 out of 3 Australian (almost 70%) will develop skin cancer before the age of 70.

5. The larger amount of melanin in very dark skin provides natural protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This means the risk of skin cancer is lower, however skin cancers that do occur are often detected at a later, more dangerous, stage. It is also important to remember that the risk of eye damage can occur regardless of skin type.

Answers

6. By the age of 15, Australian children have an average of more than 50 moles.

7. In summer, just a few minutes of sun exposure outside peak UV periods provides adequate vitamin D.

8. More than 1600 Australians die from skin cancer each year.

9. New regulations introduced in 2009 have banned Victorians under the age of 18 from using solariums.

10. Approximately 9% of all youth deaths are due to cancer.

Sun Protection & Youth

Despite the fact that tanning and burning increase skin cancer risks, a number of youth do not protect themselves from the sun’s damaging rays.

On average, 24% of Australian youth get sunburnt every weekend during summer.

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and is the most common cancer among people aged 15-44 years in Australia.

Recently, skin cancer rates for youth have decreased slightly. Why?

High risk people

The following people are most at risk of developing skin cancer:

People with fair or red hair

People who live in a hot climate such as Australia

People who spend a lot of time outdoors

People with a lot of moles

People who don’t protect their skin

No Tan is Worth Dying For- Claire Oliver

http://www.sunsmart.com.au/clare-oliver

In August 2007, a young Melbourne woman brought the issue of solariums to the attention of many Australians. Battling end-stage melanoma, Clare Oliver had only weeks to live, yet she decided to use her remaining time and energy to make certain other people understood the dangers of solarium use.

Wes Bonny

http://www.sunsmart.com.au/news_and_media/media_campaigns/wes_bonny_media_campaign

The Wes Bonny Story tells the true story of a 26-year-young man who died of melanoma in March 2010.

Wes's story demonstrates that melanoma does affect young people. It also acknowledges that people may know how to protect themselves from the sun, but need to be more vigilant about sun protection.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer can grow when the cells that make up our skin are damaged causing them to grow abnormally.

Each time skin is exposed to UV radiation, changes take place in the structure and function of our skin cells.

Over time, the skin can become permanently damaged and the damage will worsen with each exposure.

Skin Cancer

The are 3 main forms

of skin cancer:

1. Basal cell carcinoma

2. Squamous cell carcinoma

3. Melanoma

Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common, least dangerous forms of skin cancer. They can cause disfigurement but rarely result in death.

Melanomas are probably the most well known types of cancer, however, they are rarer. They can be fatal if not detected and treated early. They can spread rapidly.

What does skin cancer look like?

Skin cancer generally stands out as being quite different to surrounding skin. If a spot strikes you as being a bit odd, it probably is!