How to stay safe in the sun

Schalk Malan, Executive Director at BrightRock.

As South Africans, we’re fortunate enough to live in a country with beautiful sunny weather for most of the year. Everything we love doing, braaing, spending time with family and watching sports, involves being out in the sun. Unfortunately this also means that we’re at a very high risk of developing skin cancer. In fact, South Africa now has the highest rate of melanoma skin cancer in the world, overtaking Australia which held top spot for many years. While we love beating the Aussies in rugby and cricket, this isn’t a title we want.

Although skin cancer is most prevalent amongst white South Africans, according to recent data by the Skin Cancer Foundation of South Africa, non-melanoma skin cancers amongst HIV-positive black South Africans is on the rise. According to the South African Journal of Science (SAJS), the incidence of melanoma in the black population is 15 times lower than in the white population.

Different types of skin cancers

• Malignant melanomas are the most common type of skin cancer in South Africa. This type of cancer occurs when the cells that produce the skin’s pigment (responsible for skin colour) become malignant.

• Another common tumour form of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma resembles a wart when you look at it. It’s a very fast growing tumour, especially if found on the nose, lip or ear and is usually caused by years of exposure to the sun.

• Ulcerated basal cell carcinoma is another very common malignant skin tumour cancer. It’s also called a rodent ulcer because the ulcer looks as if it was bitten by a rat. It is not as aggressive as a squamous cell carcinoma but it grows fast.

Although skin cancer is the most common form of skin cancer in South Africa, the good news is that it’s also highly treatable when caught early enough. It’s also important to check that you’re adequately protected by your medical aid and your critical illness policy should you get skin cancer. Check if your medical aid plan covers skin cancer and which treatments they’ll pay for. Not all insurers cover skin cancer as a critical illness benefit which is why it’s important to check whether your policy does cover it and what level they cover different skin cancers. This could help you cover any additional expenses you might incur should you be diagnosed with skin cancer, such as a shortfall in your medical aid.

But prevention is always better than cure and there are lots of things you can do to reduce your chance of getting skin cancer. You mustn’t forget to protect your children from the sun as well – at least 80% of sun-induced damage happens before the age of 18 years.

Top tips to prevent cancer

• Apply sunscreen at least 30-minutes before going into the sun and then every two hours after that.

• Avoid using sun-beds; they increase your risk of getting skin cancer.

• Avoid exposure to sunlight between 10:00am and 16:00 pm.

• Wear a hat when going into direct sunlight; it should ideally cover your face and neck.

*All skin cancers, except for malignant melanoma that has been histologically classified as T1N0M0 (stage 1) or worse, are excluded from the Standardised Critical Illness Definitions Project (SCIDEP) which is the standard that most insurers use when assessing claims for critical illness.