Health Information

The skin is made up of two main layers, the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the top layer of skin. It includes three types of cells: squamous cells, which are flat, scaly cells found on the outer layer, basal cells, which are round cells, and melanocytes, the cells that give skin its colour. The dermis is the inner layer of skin and contains blood vessels, nerves, sweat glands and hair follicles.

There are an estimated 800,000 cases of skin cancer a year. The three types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. These cancers most commonly affect people who have a light complexion and an inability to tan or are immune suppressed because of certain medications or diseases. Exposure to the sun is the major environmental risk factor.

Even though non melanoma skin cancers, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are very common, they have among the highest cure rates of all cancers. The most serious form of skin cancer is melanoma, which will be diagnosed in about 38,000 people this year. In the last two decades the incidence rate of melanoma has increased about 4% every year. However, because melanoma is usually caught at an early stage it has an 85% overall survival rate.

The key to successful treatment of skin cancer is early detection. Dermatologists recomment that adults, especially those at high risk, have a complete skin examination at regular intervals. During the examination, a doctor will inspect the skin from head to toe, including areas not exposed to the sun.

When examining your skin, remember the ABCD warning signs of melanoma.

A) Asymmetry - one half of the mole does not match the other. B) Border - edges of the mole are ragged, notched or blurred. C) Colour - colour of the mole is not uniform. D) Diameter - the mole is larger than a pencil eraser (greater than 6 millimeters).

Adults should become familiar with the appearance of their own skin and practice skin self-examination once a month. Any changes in the appearance of a mole should be brought to a doctor's attention. Research has shown that people who practice self examination may reduce their risk of dying from melanoma by 63%.

To help prevent skin cancer, it is recommended that you wear protective clothing, and avoid excessive sun exposure, particularly between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Children in particular should be protected from excessive sun exposure, and should be taught safe sun habits at an early age.