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Prevention

Skin Cancer Prevention Guidelines

  1. Seek the shade, especially between 10am and 4pm.
  2. Do not allow your skin to burn – ever.
  3. Avoid sun-tanning. There is no such thing as a healthy tan. A tan is the skin’s cry for help and response to damaging UV rays, whether from the sun or an artificial source.
  4. Do not use solariums. All solariums use UV light which damages your skin.
  5. Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
  6. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day, especially on the face.
  7. Apply plenty of sunscreen to your entire body 20 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours. Concentrate on facial areas such as ears, nose and lips.
  8. Protect babies from the sun. Use protective clothing, a pram shade, and seek as much shade as possible. Low irritant sunscreens should be used on babies especially on the face.
  9. Examine your skin from head-to-toe on a regular basis, at least every 3 months.
  10. See your doctor every year for a professional skin examination.
  11. See your doctor if you notice a new or odd-looking mole, a changing mole, or skin spot that bleeds easily or is tender.

Please choose from the below for more information:

Risk calculator

Skin Cancer Risk Survey

Answer all seven questions to calculate your indicative skin cancer risk level. You can return to any answer and change it at any time.

Question 1 of 7
Gender?
Your answers Click an answer to change it

This survey provides a general risk indication only. It does not replace a professional skin examination, diagnosis or medical advice.

Risk calculator

Skin Cancer Risk Survey

Answer all seven questions to receive the most accurate result.

Questions answered 0 of 7
Current result
Select an answer to begin
Score: 0 67
1 Gender?
2 Age?
3 How many sunburns caused your skin to peel during childhood and your teenage years?
4 What was your natural hair colour at age 15?
5 How many freckles did you have on your arms at age 15?
6 How many moles do you have on both arms combined, counting from your shoulders to your hands?
7 Have you previously had skin cancer, including melanoma, BCC or SCC?
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