May is skin cancer awareness month. Yesterday I talked about melanoma. Today let’s talk about basal cell cancer -BCC.

This is the commonest skin cancer in Ireland and its numbers are growing and it’s affecting people at a younger age.

The main risk factors are long-term ultraviolet exposure from the Ssun which damages the DNA in the skin.

Fair skinned individuals are more at risk as are those with a family history of skin cancer and those on immunosuppressant drugs are also more at risk.

These are tricky little skin spots that can have many different appearances.

They can look like a little pearly bumps. They can look like scar tissue. They can have tiny blood vessels in them.

If you’re in any doubt about and skin lumps or spots that don’t heal, see your doctor for assessment.

Prevention included wearing a broad spectrum ( UBA and UVB) SPF 30 +, avoid the sun at the hottest parts of the day, seek shade, wear protective clothing, wear sunglasses, avoid sunburn and avoid sunbeds.

Tomorrow I’ll cover squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC).

Eithne