Melanoma is skin cancer. March is Melanoma Awareness month. Both Australia and New Zealand have very high rates of skin cancer. About 1 in 15 white-skinned people develop skin cancer. Dark- skinned people have more protection because of the melanin in their skin. Melanomas are caused by UV rays from the sun.
Melanomas develop from freckles or moles on the skin. If they change shape – get bigger, thicker, darker – it’s time to see a doctor or a dermatologist (a skin specialist). This month, we are reminded to check moles. For men, melanomas develop more often on the back and for women, they develop on the leg; however, they can develop anywhere on the body. People with red hair and fair skin are more at risk than people with a darker skin.
Australian and New Zealand people have always enjoyed sunbathing at the beach, although these days most people use a cream on their skin to protect them from the UV rays. Now children at school have to wear a hat with a wide brim when they play outside. Many children also wear special swim suits at the beach or outdoor pool which protect from UV rays.
It is very unusual for children to develop melanoma; it takes years for melanoma to develop but the damage to the skin starts in childhood usually.
Listen to January 5 2013 to hear more about summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Vocabulary
• awareness (n), aware (v) – notice something, think about it
• UV rays – ultra violet rays
• freckles, moles – dark spots on the skin
• brim – around the outside of a hat to shade the face