I recently noticed a news story, in The Huffington Post on 27th May, relating to a story which is receiving a lot of coverage in America this week about a mother who is facing second-degree child endangerment charges for allegedly allowing her then five year-old daughter into a tanning booth.
It highlighted the fact that skin cancer still seems to be one of the few cancers remaining where people are prepared to take risks with their health and their children’s health.
You only have to walk into the local park or beach, to find people with pale skins, who have clearly been sunbathing for hours and who’s skin has already looking burnt. My wife even went so far as to approach and wake-up a sleeping man on the beach and offer him some of her sunscreen.
The evidence I see is that people are simply not taking skin cancer seriously enough despite the fact that over the last thirty years malignant melanoma (the most serious of skin cancers) in Britain has increased more rapidly than any of the top ten cancers – in men and women.
Particularly worrying is the fact that more than two 15-34 year olds are diagnosed with malignant melanoma in Britain every day, making it the second most common cancer in this age group. These stats and others can be found on the Cancer Research UK website and make for alarming reading–-http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats
This is one cancer where we really can take easy steps to minimize the risks for ourselves and our children, by avoiding tanning booths, covering up our skin if we can or otherwise protecting our skin with a high factor sun screen (50+).
I would like to see the day where burning our skin in the sun or in the tanning booth is seen as equally socially unacceptable as smoking is now.
We offer a ‘top to toe’ check which is not always available from your NHS GP. You can see more information about skin cancer screening on our southdowns private healthcare website.
Should our doctors have any concern we can quickly arrange for a skin biopsy or for you to be seen by one of our dermatology consultant colleagues.
Our screening is quick, convenient and affordable, costing only £100. If you are at all worried it is worth getting checked out if only to put your mind at ease. So before you jet off for a holiday or nip to the local park think about the risks and make sure you apply your sun cream, shade and cover ups this year.
Call us on 01243 388 712 to arrange your appointment at our clinic in our consulting rooms at 97 Havant Road, Emsworth, Hampshire.
Southdowns Private Health Care
Southdowns Private Health Care was founded in 2008 by 3 NHS doctors, Dr Abu Chinwala, Dr Fiona Mitford Slade and Dr Nick Woodruff. The GPs offer a range of GP led services alongside their NHS work through Southdowns Private Health Care. Southdowns Private Health Care have a mission to combine first rate GP services along with excellent patient care across London, Hampshire and West Sussex. It is used by people who want to discuss concerns about their health and want rapid access to a first class private GPs and consultants at a time that suits them. Appointments are longer than NHS ones with more time available to discuss concerns and options. Southdowns Private Health Care have well appointed consulting rooms are located at 10 Harley Street, London and at 97 Havant Road, Emsworth, Hampshire. If you would like to discuss any health concerns, you can contact them on 01243 388712 and start making time for your health.
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