Sun safety

Lesley Pallett

Workforce Health & Wellbeing Specialist Advisor and

Ian Murray Dermatology Nurse

Aims and objectives

To be aware of

•What skin cancer/skin damage is

• How it can be detected

•How you can reduce your risk

Overview of session

• What is skin cancer/skin damage

• How do I reduce my risk

Reasons for doing this session

South West has the highest incidence of skin damage/melanoma in the UK

Skin Types

Type Skin, hair and eye colour History of Sunburn or Tanning

I White skin and frecklesRed or fair hairBlue or green eyes

Always burns easily, never tans

II White skin,Light hairBlue or brown eyes

Burns easily, tans minimally

III Tends to have white skinBrown hairBrown eyes

Burns moderately, tans graduallyto light brown

IV Brown to dark skinDark brown hairDark brown eyes

Burns minimally, always tans wellto moderately brown

V Brown to dark skinDark brown hairDark brown eyes

Rarely burns, tans profusely todark brown

VI Black-brown skinDark hairDark brown eyes

Never burns, deeply pigmented

Types of skin damage/cancer?

• Actinic keratosis and Bowen’s Disease• Squamous cell carcinoma• Basal cell carcinoma• Melanoma

What are Actinic Keratosis and Bowen’s Disease?

Actinic Keratosis Bowen’s Disease

What is basal cell carcinoma?

• Most common and least dangerous, low risk of spreading around body.

• Appears as pearly lump or scaly or dry area with pearly edge. Red or pale or pigmented.

• May bleed or become ulcerated that heals and breaks down again.

• Usually grows slowly

What is basal cell carcinoma?

What is squamous cell carcinoma?

• Not as dangerous as melanoma but can spread to other parts of the body if not treated.

• Appears as thickened red, scaly spot that may bleed or ulcerate.

• Develops on most sites exposed to sun, such as face hands arms and lower legs.

• Grows over weeks or months and is tender and painful

What is squamous cell carcinoma?

What is melanoma?

• Can develop in pre-existing moles but more commonly in melanocytes in epidermis.

• Two main types:• Superficial Spreading Melanoma is most

common• Nodular Melanoma• But there are others or a combination

What is melanoma?

A – E for superficial spreading melanoma

Signs and symptoms

To distinguish a superficial spreading melanoma from a normal mole.

•Asymmetry – the two halves of the area may differ in shape.•Border – the edges may be irregular or blurred and show notches.•Colour – may be uneven, shades of black, brown and pink•Diameter – usually greater than 6mm•Evolving – a lesion that changes over time (size, shape, symptoms, surface, colour)

E,F, G for Nodular Melanoma

Elevated – small round raised lump colour may be uniform, black, brown, pink or red.Firm to touch.Grows quickly, nodule that has been growing progressively for more than a month deserves urgent clinical assessment.

Treatment for melanoma

Suspected Squamous Cell Carcinoma or Malignant Melanoma are excised completely without biopsy

How do I reduce my risk?

• High factor sun cream• Shade for babies• Sun suits for children• Sun bed usage

• Vitamin D

SAVE OUR SKIN•Slip on a Shirt

•Seek out shade

•Slap on Sunscreen

•Don’t get caught out, never let your skin burn.

•If in doubt – get it checked out Visit your GP