May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the most common cancer in the UK — and one of the most preventable. Yet, despite being so common, skin cancer is often overlooked in everyday conversations about health and wellness.
The reality is, the earlier we act, the better our chances of reducing long-term risks. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about skin cancer — from causes and warning signs to simple, powerful ways to protect your skin.
Most of us spend our youth worshipping the sun and using ‘getting our vitamin D’ as an excuse, which is kind of true. But we definitely don’t need as much sun exposure as you think. Sunlight helps us to produce vitamin D which is essential for our health. But one study carried out by Cancer Research estimated that only 9 minutes of lunchtime sunlight each day in the UK is enough for lighter skin tones, and 25 minutes for darker skin tones – a lot less than you thought, right?
Reducing your risk of skin cancer doesn’t mean avoiding the sun altogether. That’d be an impossible task. It just means taking precautions in our younger years that our older selves will be thankful for, because in reality, being beautifully bronzed from the sun, or worse, from sun beds, isn’t worth getting skin cancer for. Especially when fake tan exists now (a huge shoutout to the inventor).
Skin cancer isn’t just a future problem — it’s already here.
In the UK alone, over 16,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer every year, according to Cancer Research UK, and this number continues to rise.
And it’s not just melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are even more common. The good news? Around 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are preventable with better sun protection habits.
Education is the first step toward changing the statistics. By understanding how skin cancer develops and how to spot early warning signs, you can take proactive steps to protect yourself and those you love.
There are several different types of skin cancer, each arising from different cells within the skin.
This is the most common type of skin cancer which begins in the basal cells, these cells are found at the bottom of the epidermis and their job is to produce new skin cells as the old ones die. Basal Cell Carcinoma is the slowest growing type of skin cancer that doesn’t tend to spread, so it can usually be cured when caught in the early stages with minimal damage caused to the skin.
They can take the shape of red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, open sores or scar-like skin without an injury. They’re pretty easy to spot as they typically develop in areas most exposed to the sun.
Common areas: Face, neck, scalp, ears — areas exposed to the sun.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. Squamous cells are thin, flat cells that make up the top layer of the epidermis. Their purpose is to simply line the skin. When they turn cancerous, they appear as rough, thick scaly patches that can bleed and/or itch – lookout for these on any part of the body, sun-exposed or not. This type of skin cancer isn’t usually life-threatening, but if left untreated and reaches the later stages, it can become dangerous.
Common areas: Face, ears, neck, backs of hands, and arms.
Melanoma is rarer and develops in the melanocytes, the cells that give our skin its colour. You don’t want to mess with melanoma, it’s the most vicious type of skin cancer and responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Melanoma can form in an existing mole and will change its size, colour or shape. But it can also create new irregular, multiple-toned moles that can increase in size.
Early detection is critical — the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is around 99% when caught early but drops significantly if it spreads.
Early identification of suspicious moles is vital.
Now we know UV rays are the primal cause of skin cancer and always present in daylight, it’s time to take sunscreen seriously. No exceptions. Especially when it’s a cloudy day – there’s no heat signal to tell you you’re getting toasted and it’s time to step into the shade.
It’s important to choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect you against both UVA and UVB rays with a minimum of SPF 30. This means you’re good for thirty times longer than the time it takes your skin to burn. But this doesn’t mean you should count down the clock and wait until the very last minute to reapply it -the thrill of whether you will or will not make it in time isn’t worth it. The protective barrier created by sunscreen begins to break down the moment you apply it to the skin and step into daylight, so it’s recommended you re-apply every 2 hours to keep its strength up.
Keep an eye on the expiration date. Using a sunscreen you bought at the airport last summer might not keep you protected this summer.
Wearing sunscreen every day is a good place to start. But there are certain times of the day you should avoid being in direct sunlight. The sun is hottest, and its UV rays are at their strongest from noon until 3 pm, so it’s best to seek shade during these times if you can.
But we know this isn’t always possible. If you know you’re going to be in an area with very little shade on a hot day, consider wearing a hat and lightweight, breathable clothing that doesn’t expose so much of your skin.
This is easier said than done, we know, but sun burn goes far beyond a few days of pain. Sunburn is a sign of cellular damage to the skin which increases the risk of skin cancer developing. So, make sure to use SPF daily and move into the shade when UV rays are at their peak. These small acts of kindness towards your skin will make a huge difference to your level of skin cancer risk.
Dermatologists are rarely visited unless you have a skin concern but catching skin cancer early gives you the best chance of making a full recovery. We suggest checking in once a year with a dermatologist to examine your skin for any suspicious moles or growths. Removing them can help to prevent it from worsening or spreading to other parts of the body if they’re cancerous.
While we typically notice new features on our skin, melanoma has a bad habit of developing in hard-to-see places such as your head, neck, and even in between your toes. Checking your own body regularly is always a good idea, but dermatologists know what they’re looking for and won’t miss something that we might do ourselves.
Sun beds give off the same UVA and UVB rays as the sun, but they’re more dangerous as the skin is much closer to the source. Many sunbeds also give out more intense UV rays than the midday sun in the tropics (wow). If you wouldn’t sit out in the sun at this time on holiday, you probably shouldn’t be getting sun beds either.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, using a sun bed just once before the age of 35 increases the chances of developing melanoma skin cancer by 75%! Instead, we recommend using a fake tanner for a tropical golden glow without harmful UV rays.
Skin cancer may be common, but it’s also one of the most preventable types of cancer.
By adopting smart sun safety habits today — like wearing SPF daily, seeking shade, avoiding tanning beds, and checking your skin regularly — you can significantly reduce your risk.
30 April 2025
