There’s an app that claims to be capable of detecting skin cancer…
Researchers downloaded four popular smartphone apps which claimed to be able to detect skin cancer. The researchers fed images of cancerous and non-cancerous legions to the smartphone apps and the results were that three out of four apps recognised 70% of dangerous melanomas as non-cancerous.
The problem with these cancer-detecting apps is that they rely on algorithms to predict if the mole is cancerous or not, however, cancer does not fit neatly (if at all) into an equation and so the apps are easily fooled.
Technology is no substitute for a real doctor…
Australia has the unfortunate title of skin cancer capital of the world and at Sunshine Vein Clinic in Peregain Beach we understand the beach culture of Australia. Which is why our years of experience with diagnosing and removing skin lesions is beneficial for our clients. We recommend that if you spend a great deal of time out in the sun you have a regular check-up to make sure you’re free of melanoma.
As anyone growing up in Australia will know, the things to do are cover up and wear a lot of sunscreen and put on a hat (slip, slop, slap). Two more have been added to the slip, slop, slap campaign: seek (shade) and slide (on sunglasses), however what still is the biggest conversation maker is sunscreen. Sunscreen is now available in SPF50+, however it’s only marginally better than SPF30+ and still needs to be liberally applied to have an effect. Additionally, misleading claims that sunscreen is sunblock, water proof or sweat proof are no longer allowed.
Skin cancer is still a major problem in Australia…
It was estimated that in 2010 alone over half a billion dollars (which apparently excludes any money patients were out-of-pocket) was spent on skin cancer related issues. And researchers believe it is only going to get worse with the number of treatments in 2015 to skyrocket to close to a million (it was just under 800,000 in 2010)!
This only emphasises the necessity to check with your doctor at Sunshine Vein Clinic in Peregain Beach regularly, as doctors are able to detect and treat melanoma in its early stages.
There’s an increased risk of skin cancer for people who…
- Have red or blond hair, fair skin, freckles, and blue or light-coloured eyes.
- Have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma.
- Have a personal history of skin cancer.
- Work around coal, tar, arsenic compounds, creosote, pitch and paraffin oil.
- Have damaged skin, such as a major scar or burn.
- Have actinic keratosis, a precancerous condition of thick, scaly patches of skin. It may also appear as a cracking or peeling lower lip that does not heal with lip balm.
At Sunshine Vein Clinic in Peregain Beach we know it is imperative that everyone who spends a lot of time out in the sun pay close attention to their skin.
It is best to show your doctor any…
- Suspicious skin area
- Sore that doesn’t heal
- Change in a mole or freckle
With Australia’s long hot summer months comes the rise of the risk of sun cancer, so be sure to check out Sunshine Vein Clinic in Peregian Beach for a skin cancer screening exam today!
