14/05/2026
May is Skin Cancer Awareness month and with the weather showing a slight improvement, it seems a good time to be reminding people about covering up in the sun and the risks of skin cancer.
• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world
• 1 in 36 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime
• 1 in 47 women will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime
• 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable
• There are two types of skin cancers: melanoma and non-melanoma
• Non-melanoma refers to skin cancers which develop in the upper layer of your skin (the epidermis). You can be diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), most non melanoma diagnoses are BCC, or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Both these types of skin cancers don’t spread to other parts of your body.
• Non-melanoma cancers usually develop in areas which are most exposed to the sun such as your face, ears, hands, shoulders, upper chest and back.
• Melanoma can spread to other parts of your body which is why it’s the more serious type of skin cancer.
• Overexposure to the sun or sunbeds are the main cause of all skin cancers.
• More than 1 in 4 skin cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50, which is unusually early compared with most other types of cancer
You can minimise your risk of developing skin cancer by practising sun safety:
• Use high factor sunscreen.
• Dress sensibly in the sun.
• Limit the amount of time you spend in the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am-3pm).
• Avoid sunbeds.
• Regularly checking your skin for signs of skin cancer can help lead to an early diagnosis and increase your chance of successful treatment.