Use fake tan advises skin specialist
The event was held as part of Rother District Council’s (RDC) BeActive Day, organised in conjunction with the Myfanwy Townsend Melanoma Research Fund.
Free consultations were headed up by Mr Siva Kumar, consultant at the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Unit, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead and his team of surgeons who gave their services free of charge.
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Hide AdA total 120 people were seen, 39 of which were referred to their GP for further investigation.
Mr Kumar says the high referral rate signifies the need for everyone to be vigilant when it comes to their skin. “We are still seeing people who do not use sun protection and feel that sunburn is the natural precursor to tanning,” he said. “My advice is, if you want to tan, fake it. It only takes one severe burn to not only quadruple the risk of melanoma, but also rapidly age your skin.”
Bottles of SPF 30 or SPF 50+ sun lotion were available for a donation of £3.00. A total of £1,060 was raised for the Myfanwy Townsend Melanoma Research Fund. Harry Townsend, founder of the charity said: “Thanks to The Lions and The Queen Victoria Hospital, this event was a great success. From spreading our key messages to seeing so many people attend the skin check clinic. Hopefully saving a few lives. I am confident we have created a big impact in Bexhill-on-Sea and the amazing donation total will help us continue our vital work.”
www.melanom-fund.co.uk