Here’s a shocking statistic. Regardless of our increased sun-savvyness, sunscreen sales have gone down* in Australia over the last few years and melanoma diagnoses are on the rise. Ironic.
Check out the video above where we hit the streets of Sydney with La Roche-Posay to find out your views on melanoma and the importance that we all should #becomeaskinchecker.
This year alone, 14,000 Aussies will be diagnosed with melanoma – an alarming increase from the 11,405 cases back in 2010. Shouldn’t this all be in reverse? It’s time to take matters into our own hands, recognise that we all have a part to play in this and that the best place to start is by checking out the ones you love!
The facts speak for themselves…Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and melanoma is by far the deadliest. Melanoma is also the 4th most commonly diagnosed type of cancer after prostate, bowel and breast cancer.
The fact is, we’re all much better at looking out for the health of the people we love the most, than we are looking after ourselves – and checking our skin is no exception. In fact, men have a higher incidence of melanoma in Australia than women and this is often either down to the simple fact that they spend less time in the mirror than their female counter-parts, or that they adopt the old dismissive Aussie mentality of “She’ll be right mate” and delay getting checked until it’s too late.
And it’s all about timing. Seriously. Ninety percent of melanoma detected on time, can be treated successfully**. And let’s face it, we’re all more likely to notice moles, spots and changes in our partners, friends and family – purely because we’re looking at each other more often than we are ourselves. Clearly the importance of self-checking in those ‘harder to spot’ areas is also essential, and here’s an easy ABCDE guide on just how to do it.
As a longstanding partner of dermatologists, top dermo-cosmetic skincare brand La Roche-Posay is working with the Skin and Cancer Foundation to drive home the life-saving message that we all have a role to play here. “We provide accurate and simple information to empower everyday Australians to become better skin checkers” says Caroline Collier, General Manager of La Roche-Posay Australia. With the launch of Skinchecker this beautiful video will both make you fall in love with caring for your skin and the skin of your loved ones, and make it an easy, regular process to not only get your skin professionally checked but also to #becomeaskinchecker.
So do yourself and your loved ones a favour and check out those spots! Watch the video and download the easy Skinchecker method now – it just may save a life, even your own. How can you say no to these cuties…?
* Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), April 2008 – March 2013
** Source: French Syndicate of Dermatologist and venerologist, 2008
Do you check your spots regularly? If not, what’s stopping you?
