SIR - With the heat of the summer still ahead of us, this is a great time to get into good habits by protecting your skin from the effects of the sun's most harmful rays.
Indeed, what many of us don’t realise that even on a cloudy day, our skin can still be damaged.
This is why it’s important to apply a sun screen onto exposed skin during the late spring and summer months, no matter what the weather brings.
Whil
e many of us are aware that we should avoid using sun beds completely, staying out of the midday sun is also a must.
If this isn’t possible, consider covering up with light clothing and a wide brimmed hat. At the very least, you should wear a factor 15 sun cream.
Young skin is particularly vulnerable to the sun’s rays and the majority of skin damage occurs when we are children or teenagers with the effects of this showing up later in life.
Babies and toddlers should never be exposed to the sun and older children should wear a very high factor sun screen when out and about.
It is important to realise that malignant melanoma, if caught early, is a very treatable disease.
Some of the early signs of melanoma may be a mole that changes colour, bleeds or itches or the development of a new mole. If you are worried about any changes on your skin you should visit your GP.
The last thing anyone wants to do is put a dampener on our forthcoming fun in the sun but these are simple measures. It’s about being sensible and changing our habits so we can all stay safe during what we hope will be a warm summer to come.
Yours, Elspeth Atkinson,
Macmillan Cancer Support,
Director for Northern Ireland
