My name is Mel Cameron.
Health and fitness orientated.
Currently I am very aware of the effect of the sun on my skin and the requirements needed for adequate sun protection. I use very high protection sunscreen on all exposed areas of skin every day. I cover up with clothing, hats and sunglasses. I have done this for 16 years since I was 21 years old because my mum developed a skin cancer that was fortunately able to be removed successfully.
I realised I had her skin type and needed to be careful. As a result most of my skin is very youthful and healthy for my age as reflected when I had a UV camera used on my face to check for skin damage. In saying that, however, I noticed a few years ago that my arms and shoulders had some freckles and skin damage.
I researched and found out that clothing doesn't always protect against the sun, particularly the thin, lightweight shirts that I was wearing in summer, when the UV index is highest. I have since used appropriate clothing to cover up in everyday life.
Thank you Mel for helping raise awareness for skin cancer, melanoma and skin conditions, and sharing your story with us and our Solbari Community.
The Solbari Team
Your skin is your largest organ and has a long memory. Sun exposure and ultraviolet (UV) damage is cumulative throughout your life. Research shows that sun damage contributes to more than 90% of wrinkles, brown spots, premature skin ageing as well as precancerous and cancerous skin lesions.
It is very difficult to the untrained eye to identify melanomas and skin cancers because they can come in many different shapes and sizes.
As Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon from the Skin & Cancer Foundation Inc. says, "the earlier a skin cancer is identified and treated, the better the chance of avoiding surgery, or in the case of a serious melanoma or skin cancer, potential disfigurement or even death."