Things are heating up in Australia, and Beard Season took the opportunity to speak with the Sunrise 7 news team along with James Tobin about the value that skin checks can bring to everyone’s lives.

The Facts…

No one wants to think about it, but did you know that two out of three Australians will develop a form of skin cancer in their lifetime? With the sun’s UV rays making a strong appearance as summer sets in, it’s more important than ever to make sure your skin gets the attention it needs.

COVID-19 Introducing New Challenges

With people being urged to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, it comes as no surprise that patients have been putting off their appointments. As an unexpected consequence, skin cancer screenings have dropped by as much as 50% since the start of COVID-19, with melanoma pathology notifications in Victoria declined by as much as 31%t between April and June.  This unfortunately means that we may see an increase in late stage detection early next year. The problem? Skin cancer doesn’t wait! When discovered early, melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer), has a survival rate of over 98%, but when left undetected, this falls to only 16%.

What Doctors Are Saying

Check your skin! Dermatologists recommend that you get your skin checked on an annual basis to help notice any suspicious changes as quickly as possible. In the meantime, there’s plenty you can do from home to keep your skin healthy and happy:

• Wear sunscreen (and reapply every hour)
• Find shade wherever possible (especially when the sun is at its highest)
• Perform monthly skin checks
• Document any changes with apps like MoleScope

Final Thoughts

Although this summer might look different for most Aussies this year, that shouldn’t stop us from taking the time to show care to our skin! To make this easier than ever, Beard Season’s website has a list of over 300 practitioners across Australia, along with more info for how you can submit images to a doctor in your area from the comfort of your home.  Find a location closest to you today!

-The MoleScope Team