Learning The ABCDE’s of Skin Cancer and How to Find A Skin Cancer Certified Practitioner with Jane Homberger of Skin Smart Australia

 The incidence of skin cancer in Australia is one of the highest in the world, two to three times the rates in Canada, the US and the UK.

 

In 2015, 2162 people died from skin cancer in Australia, 1520 from melanoma and 642 from non-melanoma skin cancers.

 

Melanoma kills more young Australians (20-39 year olds) than any other single cancer. 

 

 To put it into perspective in Australia in 2015, there were 1520 deaths due to melanoma and in the same year there were 1,209 deaths due on our roads.  

There is more and more research into the cause and treatment of melanoma plus awareness initiatives such as #calltimeonmelanoma and today we will be diving into the depths of different types of skin cancer and what to look for on your skin. 

 

Welcome to episode number 5 of the Heal Thy Skin Podcast, I’m Marni, your host and today I am speaking with Jane Homberger from Skin Smart Australia. Jane is a Registered Nurse, holds a Post Graduate Diploma in General Practice Nursing and Professional Diploma in Dermatoscopy and is the CEO of Skin Smart Australia, a company that provides mole mapping and corporate skin cancer checks across Australia.

 

Jane shares how her journey into skin cancer medicine, inspired the beginnings of Skin Smart Australia and the importance having your skin checked by a certified dermatoscopist.

 

The 3 deeper than skin insights that Jane shared that stood out to me were:

1. Know your ABCDE!! 

A stands for asymmetry - If you were to place a cross through your mole, are all four pieces identical?

B is for border – A healthy mole has a border that fades consistently into the periphery with no abrupt border.

C is for colour. A mole with two or more colours is more concerning than a mole with only one colour.

D is for diameter. A melanoma is commonly larger than 6mmin diameter. Please be aware though that most moles over 6mm will not be melanomas.

Finally E is for evolution. Something changing and evolving.

2. Melanoma can occur on anyone in moles that you’ve had all your life.

3. Book in for a mole map! Mole maps should be part of your annual health check up.

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To join the dermhealth.co community head to www.dermhealth.co

 

You can find out more about Skin Smart Australia by visiting:

http://skinsmartaustralia.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/Skin-Smart-Australia-636936793069203/

 

To find out more about skin cancer visit:

https://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/types-of-cancer/skin-cancer.html

 

Call time on melanoma initiative:

Use #calltimeonmelanoma in your social media posts and follow @calltimeonmelanoma

 

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