Melanoma (Skin Cancer)

Melanoma often develops after exposure to the sun and about 60% of cases are directly linked to this. While anyone can get it, certain factors increase your risk such as if you have pale skin and freckles, blue eyes and red or blonde hair, lots of moles, or skin that burns easily and rarely tans. You're also at higher risk if a close family member (parent, child or sibling) has had melanoma.

Spending significant amounts of time in the sun – such as working outdoors, living in hot climates or sunbathing - puts you at higher risk, along with using sunbeds. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body but more commonly develop in areas exposed to the sun so men usually get them on their back and arms, and women on their legs.

It is advisable for everyone to wear high sun protection and reapply it regularly. Look for SPF of 30 or higher with both UVA and UVB protection, and labelled "broad spectrum". Reapply it every two hours when outdoors, or after a shower or swim. UVA rays are present from dawn until dusk, no matter the season, so we should all be wearing sunscreen on exposed areas all year round. UVB is at its strongest during summertime from 11am to 3pm, and is responsible for sunburn (it's easy to remember - UVB for Burning, UVA for Ageing).

UVB rays cause burning, and sunburn, even a slight pinkness, is a warning sign your skin is traumatised. Both UVA and UVB carry a risk of melanoma.

The British Association of Dermatologists advises that sunscreen is important, but shouldn't be used as an excuse to stay out in the sun longer. You should avoid the sun where possible and wear clothes and hats to cover up.

If you have a large number of moles or the above risk factors, keep tabs (or ask your partner to for areas you can't see). Alternatively, you may prefer to book a private skin mapping service. If any mole looks new or different to the other moles, or a new skin mark is itchy, bleeding or growing rapidly, see your doctor urgently.

Melanoma are often irregular in shape and have more than one colour or a blue or black tinge so it is worth remembering the ‘ABCDE rule’ here when diagnosing a melanoma, as all these are signs of a possible skin malignancy:

• Asymmetry of a mole (not being a circle, or an oval),
• Border irregularity (instead of having a smooth outline),
• Colour uneven (instead of the same colour all over),
• Diameter bigger than 6 mm, and
• Evolving (a mole that is changing or getting bigger).

Your doctor will examine the concerning mole and other moles, listening to how it came about and any symptoms it causes, and they will take into account your individual risk factors.

If they are concerned, they will refer you urgently to a dermatologist who will assess your skin lesion and recommend treatment. This may involve minor surgery to cut the lesion out and examine the tissue under a microscope to see if it is a melanoma. If this turns out to be the case, you may have further examinations in case it has spread to lymph nodes or other areas, and you will be followed up regularly.

The outlook is good if a melanoma is diagnosed and surgically removed, and about 90% of people diagnosed with melanoma in England survive their disease for 10 years or more. Once it's advanced, it may have had a chance to spread and further treatment is needed. It does carry a risk of death, and cases have been increasing over the last decade, likely as a result of more foreign holidays and sunbed use, so it's important we are sun aware and take measures to protect ourselves.

There's a risk that melanoma can return, so there will be follow-ups at regular intervals for the dermatologist to perform full skin checks.