Friday (4 February) is World Cancer Day, and South Africa has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer globally.
More than 20 000 South Africans were diagnosed with the most common non-melanoma skin cancers in 2014, and more than 1 500 were diagnosed with melanoma.
The American Mayo Clinic website describes skin cancer as the abnormal growth of skin cells, most often developing on skin exposed to the sun. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by limiting or avoiding exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
There are three major types of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Checking your skin for suspicious changes can help detect skin cancer at its earliest stages. Early detection of skin cancer gives you the greatest chance for successful skin cancer treatment.
The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) offers FotoFinder skin screenings at most Cansa Care Centres around South Africa. FotoFinder screening is an all-in-one skin cancer screening and mole mapping service using a dermascope device, the imaging system of choice of thousands of dermatologists worldwide. The system automatically links digital dermoscopic images of moles to an overview image, making identification and tracking of lesions easy. Visit cansa.org.za for more information.