Melanoma March is a reminder to look after one of your greatest assets – your skin! Our doctors provide on site skin assessments for your staff – assisting with early detection of any areas of concern.
Some careers such as construction, or jobs which involve site visits, require employees to be out in the sun. Here’s some easy steps to ensure your workplace helps protect your employers from skin cancers and melanoma (Better Health, 2022).
- Schedule outdoor activities in early morning or late afternoon when the UV radiation is high;
- Provide information, instruction and training for workers about UV radiation and protection;
- Modify reflective surfaces;
- Provide personal protective equipment and clothing (wide brimmed hats, sunglasses, protective clothing, sunscreen and shade);
- Develop a sun protection policy that documents control measures;
- Conduct periodic assessments of the UV exposure risk to all workers;
- Offer yearly skin assessments (provided on site at your location, by our doctors at WHS Vic);
According to The Skin Cancer Foundation (2022), early detection of a melanoma is crucial and can vastly increase your chances for a cure.
Look for anything new, changing or unusual on both sun-exposed and sun-protected areas. This should be a monthly practice. Keep in mind that melanomas can arrive anywhere on the skin, even in areas where the sun doesn’t shine. The ABCDE approach can help you check your skin:
A – A is Asymmetry: Most melanomas are asymmetrical. If your draw a line through the middle of the lesion and the two halves don’t match, be sure to have this professionally checked by a skin doctor.
B – B is for Border: Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped of notched edges.
C – C is for Colour: Multiple colours are warning signs.
D – D is for diameter and Dark: While it’s ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it’s a warning sign if a lesion is the size of a pencil eraser or larger. It’s also important to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than the others. Some rare melanomas are colourless.
E – E is Evolving: Any change in size, colour, shape or elevation of a spot on your skin or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting are warning signs.
Remember: Early detection is key!
For more on early detection and pictures – https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-warning-signs-and-images/