Say no to death or disfigurement… reduce your risk of skin cancer today!
With rates of skin cancer and melanoma increasing across rural Australia, rural doctors say that it’s never too early or too late to reduce your risk of skin cancer.
President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia Dr Sarah Chalmers said that there were many ways to help minimise your risk.
“Rates of melanoma are increasing in rural Australians at an alarming rate,” Dr Chalmers said.
“The reality is that our older rural Australians are the most likely to suffer from melanoma, and men are twice as likely to die from melanoma as women.
“While skin cancer can occur at any age, many older people, particularly those living in rural and remote areas have an increased risk of melanoma due to longer unprotected UV radiation exposure and a history of burning during childhood.
“While most of us know sun exposure is a high-risk factor for skin cancer, it’s still not widely acknowledged that blistering sunburns at a young age can increase melanoma risk by 80 per cent.
For older Australians, taking action not only means protecting yourself from further exposure to UV radiation, but also to do regular skin checks. […]
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