Do I Need A Skin Check?

Get to Know the Facts

More than two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

Medicare records show there were over a million treatments for squamous and basal cell carcinoma skin cancers in 2023 - that's more than 100 skin cancer treatments every hour. In 2023, 3182 Victorians were diagnosed with melanoma and 276 lost their lives.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer in Australia

Factors associated with a higher risk of developing melanoma include:

a fair complexion (especially fair skin that burns or freckles easily, blue or green eyes, and blonde or red hair)
exposure to sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet (UV) energy (e.g. tanning beds)
a history of sunburns that caused blistering, especially in childhood
having some large moles, many small moles, or moles that look different from normal moles
a family history of unusual moles or melanoma
a personal history of skin cancer, including melanoma
age – about half the people who develop melanoma are older than 50
sex of the patient – in Australia and New Zealand, melanoma is more common in men than in women.

Other Factors to Consider

Xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare genetic condition that prevents the skin from repairing itself from UV damage
other genetic skin conditions such as Gorlin Syndrome
exposure to certain environmental factors, including radiation, and some chemicals (e.g. solvents)
a weakened immune system from disease or side effects of medicines
Spot or moles that are changing, growing, bleeding, or just don't seem right
70% of Australians older than 70 years of age will have had at least 1 skin cancer

If any of the above applies to you, consider booking in for a regular full body skin cancer check.