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  |  Women's Health  |  Women's Cancers  |  About skin cancer
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Some surprising facts from the Colonel

About skin cancer

continued from page 1
Who is at risk?
Everyone should be careful in the sun. It doesn't matter what colour your skin is, you should still take simple precautions to protect yourself from the harmful effects of UV rays. Some people are born with a greater risk of skin cancer. These people tend to:
  • burn easily
  • have fair skin and/or freckles
  • have red or fair hair and/or pale eyes
  • have had skin cancer before
  • have a large number of moles (50+)
  • have skin cancer in the family (especially melanoma)
  • have had bad sunburn in the past

    If one or more of the descriptions on this list apply to you, you should take extra care to protect yourself from the sun.

    Why are children at risk?
    Babies and children need extra protection from the sun because their skin is delicate and easily damaged. You will not see the damage immediately because skin cancer can take years to develop. But children who are exposed to too much sun now are storing up problems for the future. Sunburn in childhood can double your risk of skin cancer.

    Check your moles for signs of melanoma
    Here is a checklist to help you pick out a mole or dark patch that you should show your doctor. Checking moles on your back may be difficult, but you could ask a friend or partner to look at them for you.

    Major signs
    See your doctor immediately if your mole:
  • is new or growing - moles do change in children, but this becomes less common as we get older and could be a warning sign
  • has a ragged edge - ordinary moles have a smooth, regular shape
  • contains different colours - ordinary moles may be dark brown, but are all one shade. A mole containing different shades of black and brown should be checked out.

    Minor signs
    The following signs do not necessarily mean that you have a melanoma, but you should still look out for them. If your mole or dark patch does not return to normal within two weeks, don't ignore it.

    See your doctor if your mole:
  • is inflamed or has a red edge - ordinary moles are not inflamed
  • is bleeding, oozing or crusting - ordinary moles do not do this
  • feels funny or itches - any change in the feel of a mole should be checked out. Ordinary moles are not itchy or painful
  • is bigger than all your other moles

    Join the discussions on the Cancer Support message board:



    In association with Cancer Research UK. Registered charity number 1089464


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    Created: 03/06/2004  Updated: 26/01/2007

    This iVillage Health service area is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child, please consult your family's health provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals. For the full Disclaimer, click here.
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