The Importance of being SunSmart
There has been a lot of coverage in the press about skin cancer just recently. Bearing in mind, it is August and the long awaited (and no doubt) fleeting British summer has arrived, accessing the great outdoors and enjoying the sun may well be on many people’s minds. However, all is not well in the great British summer.
Melanoma
Cancer Research UK has recently released data to outline the rise in incidences of melanoma – the most common form of skin cancer that is mainly caused by exposure to the sun’s UV rays. CRUK estimates there will be 20,800 new cases of melanoma in the UK this year, continuing a trend in which cases have risen by more than a third in the past decade. In a temperate climate like the UK it is always important to have some sun exposure in order to access Vitamin D, but that is a totally different order from lying for hours on some beach in the Mediterranean, where people turn themselves into lobsters in the sun without a moment’s thought to the harm that the sun’s rays are doing to their skin. The rise in melanoma cases is thought to be due to an increase in holidays in hot climates abroad by people with little understanding of the dangers of excessive sun.
There were 17,500 cases of melanoma in 2019 and 1,500 deaths in the UK, and this cancer is particularly fatal when it spreads to other organs. Nevertheless, this is one of the most preventable of cancers, with almost 90% of all cases being considered preventable. Greater awareness of the dangers of the sun and the requirement to keep out of the hot midday sun and cover up when in the sun at any time, would be an important starting point.
Australian Campaigns
One of the most successful skin cancer prevention campaigns has been fought over the last 40 years in Australia where, as a white skinned population in a near tropical climate, the Australians are acutely aware of this particular cancer. Their high profile “Slip (on some clothes), Slap (on a hat), Slop (on some sunscreen)” is one of the most well-known and successful cancer campaigns of all time. The UK would do well to emulate it.
In the meantime in the UK ….
In the meantime, in the UK the LibDems have highlighted the growing incidence of skin cancer and the long waiting list for skin cancer treatment on the NHS. They are suggesting removing VAT from the price of sunscreens in order to make them more affordable. In practice, as many people have pointed out, if VAT were removed, the price would likely stay the same and the manufacturers would pocket the difference as profit. Nevertheless, it has been an excellent publicity event and has highlighted the dangers of skin cancer as well as the long waiting lists to get it treated.
Better Information on Sunscreens
It would also be helpful if bottles of suncreen carried information about the dangers of the sun in a font that is large enough to be legible. It is worth trying to read the details on the back of a container of sunscreen and seeing how much can be easily read. It is often a mass of words where the print is too small to be comprehensible. This is one of the rare examples in health campaigning where it would be highly beneficial if commercial interests were stronger and the manufacturers of sunscreen would promote their produce in a more effective manner.
In Conclusion
CancerWatch will be promoting its SunSmart campaign every August to increase awareness of skin cancer and the hidden harm in the sun’s rays. We hope you will accompany us on this journey.