An Australian first study performed by a Queensland study has revealed that regular beach goers are
six times more likely to be diagnosed with a melanoma in comparison to the general Australian
population.
The study was undertaken at Southern Cross University and involved over 180 participants who
underwent regular skin checks as part of a volunteer based research project. Volunteers consisted of
a mix of surfers, swimmers and stand-up paddle boarders. During the first screening, pre-malignant
or malignant skin cancers were found in almost half of the study participants (41.3%).
This research demonstrates that regular ocean users are at a much higher risk of developing
cancerous skin lesions due to dangerous UV exposure and insufficient sun protection whilst
outdoors. If you feel you fall in to this category of individuals at increased risk it is of the utmost
importance to stay up to date with your full body skin checks and to use adequate sun protection
every time you are outdoors.
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