Article by Dr Ian Devlin- Skin Cancer GP
Many Australians over the age of fifty grew up having excessive amounts of sun exposure and many continue to have damaging amounts of sun exposure. The result is an epidemic of skin cancers as this group grows older. Primary prevention, meaning minimising UV exposure, is very important in reducing these cancers.
The other strategy is secondary prevention. This means treating the sun damaged skin to prevent skin cancer developing in it. There are several creams which have been used for this treatment for many years. They can be effective but may need several weeks of application and result in unpleasant skin reactions.
Example of a sun damage spot (Solar Keratosis)
There is a newer cream which is a combination of Vitamin D cream and Fluouracil cream. It has fewer side effects than with the traditional creams, and there is evidence that it reduces the risk of future skin cancers.
If you or someone you know has crusting or scaling skin or pink rough patches particularly on the face, head, or hands this treatment may be very worthwhile. The treatment is usually only for four or six days duration.
Australian born journalist Lee-Anne Carter is an editor, storyteller-writer, creative director and trend forecaster who for nearly nine years was Swarovski’s Head of Global Trend Intelligence, Marketing and Communications, based in Austria. Now based in Marrakesh, Morocco, she has launched the Creative Soul agency, specialising in creative direction, trend analysis, consumer insights and consultancy.