Skin cancer should always be a concern on any Australian's radar. Newshub reports that, Along with New Zealand, Australia has by far the highest incidence rate of skin cancer in the world. To ensure that you don't become another statistic, it's important that you learn best practice: a combination of knowledge, prevention, and skin cancer checks.

Knowledge

Australia is a country with a large number of fair-skinned people who live in a sunny climate that their skin pigmentation is unsuited for. This means that Australians of fair complexions should be especially vigilant. It's possible to develop skin cancer even without ever being sunburned, so it should always be something you're thinking about, even if you haven't noticed any visible sunburns.

Additionally, even when the sun doesn't appear very strong, it could still be emitting high levels of UV radiation. For this reason, you should familiarise yourself with resources such as the Bureau of Meteorology's UV Index, which lists the UV radiation level every day. You might be surprised to find just how much radiation there can be, even without much visible sunshine.

Prevention

The old adage says that prevention beats the cure, and when it comes to skin cancer, it holds true. You should never venture out into the sun without adequate protection, which should be a mix of sunscreen, hats, and clothing. Any exposed skin should be lathered in a generous portion of sunscreen, and, whenever possible, skin should be covered by clothing or be under the shade of a hat. On particularly sunny days, you should even consider staying inside. The more preventative measures you take, the less likely you're going to get an unpleasant surprise during a skin cancer check.

Skin Cancer Checks

It's important that, regardless of how much you might know and the preventative measures that you put into practice, you undertake routine skin cancer checks. The Cancer Council recommends that you regularly check your skin for new spots and changes to your moles and freckles. You should also be on particular lookout for "crusty, non-healing sores" and "small lumps." If you notice any unexplainable changes to your skin during your skin cancer checks, you should immediately consult a doctor to ensure that they are not cancerous, following the doctor's advice on how to proceed from there.

Clearly, giving yourself the best possible chance of avoiding skin cancer isn't too difficult, primarily being just easy changes to your habits and routine. These practices also have additional cosmetic benefits. Wrinkles, for example, are caused by sun exposures — so this is also a sort of anti wrinkle treatment. To learn more about your skin's health, contact local services that provide skin cancer checks.