Page 27 - Dainfern Precinct Living 2 2021

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
People of
all skin types and

skin colour are urged

to avoid tragedy by
taking precautions

and checking

irregularities

THE DANGERS OF

SKIN CANCER

ARE NOT ONLY SKIN DEEP

outh Africans spend highest incidences of skin cancer mostly of the face, arms and hands
a great many hours globally. UVB rays can cause along with the lower legs if out
outdoors. All the sunburn within fifteen minutes, in shorts. What they often don’t
while, the sun above, resulting in permanent damage, consider is the back of the neck, the
providing warmth and while UVA rays can contribute to feet and the ears, including inside
energy necessary for ageing the skin and DNA damage. and behind the ears,” he says.
Sour survival, is also Damage from both UVA and UVB
posing one of the greatest risks rays can lead to skin cancer. The most common types of
to our health if we do not protect skin cancer are squamous cell
ourselves from its dangerous “The hard truth is that skin cancer carcinoma, which develops in the
cancer-causing rays. spares no one,” says dermatologist, squamous cells that make up the
Dr Hetesh Pitamber who practises at middle and outer layers of the
According to Dr Dineo Tshabalala, Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. “There skin; and basal cell carcinoma,
a medical oncologist practising at tends to be a general misconception which most often occurs when
Netcare Olivedale Hospital, if left that people of colour are safe from DNA damage from exposure to
undetected, skin cancer can be developing skin cancer because ultraviolet radiation from the sun
devastating in ways people often their skins are darker and therefore or the use of indoor tanning beds
do not realise. “Skin cancer is often less sensitive to the sun. However, triggers changes in basal cells in
thought of as being quite literally this is simply not the case. While the the outermost layer of the skin,
only on the surface of our bodies. disease is certainly more common resulting in uncontrolled growth.
Yet the threat is not only skin amongst the Caucasian population, Cutaneous melanoma is thought to
deep – without early treatment skin it affects us all.” be triggered by intense, occasional
cancer can spread, metastasising exposure to ultraviolet radiation,
to other organs.” Dr Pitamber cautions that everyone either from the sun or tanning
needs to keep a close eye on any beds, especially in people who
According to the Cancer pigmented lesions on the palms of are genetically predisposed to the
Association of South Africa their hands and soles of their feet disease.
(CANSA), skin cancer is the most as well as their nails. Everyone
common cancer worldwide, and as should be aware of the risk areas, Dr Tshabalala notes that basal cell
South Africa has one of the highest with the parts of the body exposed carcinoma rarely metastasises,
monitored ultraviolet (UV) levels to sun more often being most while squamous cell carcinoma
in the world, it also has one of the vulnerable. “People tend to think can metastasise if not caught early,

25
DPL