Get Yourself Checked: The Cancer You Can See

Cancer is one of the leading killers around the globe, and it can often be undetectable until very late on in its progression. The cancer council of Australia suggests that by the age of 85, 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with a type of cancer. This is not meant to alarm you, as with modern medicine, many people end up surviving their diagnosis of cancer and live healthy lives. Australia, in particular, has an unusually high rate of skin cancer, coming in at number 2 in the world, just behind its antipodean partner New Zealand. Here is how to make sure you don't have it and what to do if you think you might.

How To Check Yourself For Skin Cancer 

The first thing to understand is that you can never be sure you don't have skin cancer without a check-up by your doctor. That being said, it never hurts to be on the lookout for the telltale signs of skin cancer, which can be odd lumps appearing on your skin, moles and freckles changing or appearing out of nowhere and an itchy or bleeding area on the skin. If you notice any of these abnormalities, no matter how mundane you might think they are, you should get a skin cancer check immediately. This is not something to delay, and cancer is never something to take lightly. 

Skin Cancer Check-Up

A skin cancer check-up generally doesn't take too long and isn't that hard to organise. Your doctor will examine problem areas and may order some tests to be totally sure, but generally, they have a very keen eye and can tell straight away which moles and suspicious areas could be cancerous. Even if you do not notice anything unusual during your day to day life, you should always ask your doctor to do a skin cancer check when you go in for your routine visits. You never know what you might overlook that an unbiased eye will pick up. Remember, not all skin cancers are the same, and almost all are treatable fairly quickly, especially when caught early.

How To Prevent Skin Cancer

Skin cancer can have a number of causes, but the main and most obvious reason they appear so much in Australia is because of the sun. If you ensure that you are not getting sunburnt regularly by using sunscreen, wearing long-sleeved shirts, wearing a hat and keeping your time outside infrequent then you drastically lower your chances of skin cancer. It is helpful to know that once you have had one skin cancer your odds of getting another go up, so if you do get diagnosed with skin cancer you should make your check-ups more regular in the future and not just assume you are cured forever. 

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