Healthy Skin is In

• July 24, 2019
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Many people like me understand the importance of protecting their skin, and how to live like a vampire in the dark. Skin Cancer is at an all time high, sadly one in five Americans will be a victim of it in the course of their lifetime. It is in fact so common, that most people do not even know they have it until it is too late.

Fortunately, researchers in Australia have developed a new online tool to evaluate skin cancer risk. The test is based on ten easy questions, predicts risk level over the next three years and it has been found to be 80% accurate. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland are behind this life saving development. Their test asks ten specific questions in order to determine what a person’s chances are of developing skin cancer from age forty and over. Currently this is a consumer tool, but this could eventually be used by healthcare professionals on a larger scale. The questions in the test decipher the following, age, gender, family background, skin type, how one’s skin reacts to the sun, freckles, any previous skin cancer or sun damage and smoker or non-smoker. An estimated risk level is then calculated, ranging from “very much below average,” to “below average,” “within average,” “above average” or “very much above average.” This is not a substitute for visiting the doctor, in fact it is highly recommended that people share this information with their doctors and do their usual follow ups. Data from this test helped the team and healthcare professionals better understand the development of skin cancer. As new skin cancer treatments are developed, this online test could help medical professionals identify with greater accuracy patients who are most at risk, and who may require early intervention.

As technology expands so will our knowledge for cancer, diseases, illnesses, and injuries minor or major. The best advice is to take care of yourself and your skin. Wear sunscreen, avoid long term exposure to UV rays, have spots and moles examined for proper diagnosis, and know your family background. All of these are imperative to prevent skin damage and possible chances of cancer. Healthy skin is in!