Influence of Climate Change On Skin Cancer
In 10 years, the number of skin cancers will double due to global warming.
Accordance to the British Skin Foundation, each year skin cancer affects at least 100,000 people in the UK.
This figure, according to the forecasts of specialists should double within 10 years because of the effects of global warming.
At the end of October 2022, at a congress of medical dermatology organized in Frankfurt, German dermatologists reaffirmed the relationship between global warming and the growing number of skin cancers. With the aggravation of the climate crisis, our skin finds itself more and more often exposed to UV rays which we know are the primary culprits of these pathologies.
Melanoma: the number of cases and deaths constantly growing
Thus, according to the predictions of Swen Malte John, a dermatologist at the University Hospital of Osnabrück: “We must anticipate an annual growth of 10% in skin cancers, i.e. double the number of cases in ten years,” he spoke at the event.
“In the past, it was not so familiar to see someone with a UV-related skin tumor, particularly non-melanoma skin cancer.
But today, it’s something we see many times a day; it is no longer a rarity at all, and it will only get worse,” said Max Tischler, a dermatologist in Dortmund, at the meeting.
Data, which today interests doctors around the world. Last August, British dermatologists were already conveying their concern regarding the growing number of patients with melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer.
According to Cancer Research UK, since the 1970s, the number of deaths from melanoma of the skin has definitely increased by +219% in men and +76% in women.
In France, in the last 20 years alone, the number of cases of melanoma has increased fivefold to reach 15,500 new cases per year according to the National Cancer Institute.
Also Read: 6 Tips to Prepare Your Skin for the Sun
How to protect yourself from UV
If you do not want to have wrinkles and prematurely aged skin, then you need to take care of your skin immediately. To keep it looking fresh and healthy, follow these tips.
Skin protection is in fashion. Here are some ways to prevent skin cancer.
No one wants to stay indoors when the weather is nice. To be exposed to the sun, it is, therefore, necessary to exercise common sense and intelligence. PROTECTION IS A PRIORITY. Find out how you can protect yourself from the sun.
- REDUCE your sun exposure between 12 a.m. and 4 p.m. and when the UV index is above 3.
- COVER YOURSELF with loose clothing and stay in the shade.
- WEAR a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
- USE A SUNSCREEN WITH AN SPF OF 30 or higher and reapply your sunscreen as directed.
- AVOID solar lights altogether.
Observing the skin is a good precaution
If caught early enough, most skin cancers can be cured. Examine your skin regularly and have someone observe hard-to-see areas, such as your back, paying particular attention to:
- Birthmarks or moles that change in shape, color, size, or surface;
- New growths on the skin such as pale, pearly nodules that grow and crust over, or sharply demarcated, red, scaly patches;
- A sore that does not heal; any area of skin that bleeds oozes swells and is itchy.
Photo: Pexels/ Tembela Bohle