12 August 2010
A skin cancer expert who works at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals is backing a campaign to cut the VAT paid on sun cream.
The campaign, which calls for the government to slash VAT on sun cream from the normal 17.5% to a 5% levy charge, follows figures that show skin cancer is the UK's fastest growing cancer and the second biggest killer of young men under the age of 35 (data from the British Association of Dermatologists). Currently, 100,000 people a year are diagnosed with skin cancer in the UK and more than 2,500 die from it.
Dermatologist and skin cancer specialist at the Trust, Dr Chris Harland has spoken in favour of the lobbying campaign, which is supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Chris said: "Skin cancer simply isn't going to disappear overnight. It's a growing disease and we need to make sure we're doing everything we can to make sure people are protecting themselves against the sun's harmful rays.
"Sunburn is the leading cause of skin cancer, so it makes sense to make sun block and sun cream as affordable as it possibly can be. There are concerns that some people, especially those who have been badly affected by the credit crunch, may try to cut their costs this summer by skimping on the sun cream. That is very worrying."
Dr Harland recommends that people check their skin regularly for changes, especially if you are fair skinned with a lot of freckles.
Skin cancer often first appears as a change in a mole or patch of normal skin. The 'ABCD' rule can help you remember what to look for when it comes to changes in moles:
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A = Asymmetry. The two halves of a dangerous mole may not look the same;
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B = Border. Edges of a melanoma (a cancerous mole) may be irregular, blurred or jagged;
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C = Colour. The colour of a melanoma may be uneven, with more than one shade;
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D = Diameter. Many melanomas are at least 6mm in diameter, the size of a pencil eraser.
Most changes in the skin are not caused by cancer, but if you are worried, or have any of the above symptoms, make an appointment to see your GP.
