Skin care after melanoma skin cancer
Having melanoma skin cancer means you have a higher than average risk of getting another one in the future. So it’s important to keep a close eye on your skin and protect it when out in the sun.
Checking your skin
Be aware of what your skin normally looks like. See your doctor if you notice any skin changes or possible symptoms of melanoma. Also, see your doctor if there are any changes where the original melanoma was.
It is important to keep an eye on things but try not to worry too much.
What you can do to protect your skin
There are many things you can do to protect your skin:
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wear close weave cotton clothing in the sun
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wear long sleeves and trousers
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wear a hat with a wide brim that shades your face and neck
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wear sunglasses to protect your eyes
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use a high factor sun cream when you are in the sun
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stay out of the sun altogether between 11am and 3pm in the UK
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never use a sun bed
Sunscreen
If you've had melanoma skin cancer, you should avoid spending too long in the sun. Your doctor may suggest you use a high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen on any exposed skin.
Choosing sunscreen
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are a type of energy given out by the sun and sunbeds. There are 2 types of UV rays that can damage our skin:
- UVA
- UVB
UVB rays are stronger and cause your skin to burn. Although UVA waves are weaker, they go deeper into the skin. Both UVA and UVB rays cause skin cancer.
You should choose a sunscreen with good protection against both UVA and UVB.
UVA
In the UK, the level of UVA protection is shown in 1 of 2 ways:
- Star rating
- UVA symbol
You should see a star rating of up to 5 stars on UK sunscreens. Use a product with at least 4 or 5 stars.
Or you might see a symbol with the letters UVA inside a circle. This is a European marking. It means that the sunscreen meets the European Standard.
UVB
The SPF of a sunscreen shows how much protection it gives against UVB rays.
The higher the SPF, the more protection it provides by filtering out UVB rays. Your skin cancer specialist may suggest you use sunscreen with an SPF of 50. But no sunscreen can protect you 100% from UV rays, and you must use it properly to get the best protection.
Using sunscreen
Using sunscreen does not mean you can sunbathe safely. But to get the best protection from sunscreen you should:
- put it on 15-30 minutes before going in the sun
- spread it thickly and evenly over your skin and leave to dry
- reapply it regularly – especially after swimming or doing anything that makes you sweat
- make sure the bottle hasn’t been open too long
- store the bottle out of sunlight and somewhere dry and cool
You can still enjoy the outdoors on sunny days. It’s just a case of enjoying the sun safely.
Vitamin D
We all need vitamin D to help build and maintain strong bones, teeth and muscles. A lack of vitamin D (vitamin D deficiency) could cause problems in the long term. For example, it could lead to a bone condition called 
in adults.
Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D for most people. Covering up and using sunscreen helps reduce the risk of melanoma. But it can also reduce the amount of vitamin D in your body.
You can also get vitamin D from some foods including:
- oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon
- eggs
- meat and milk – but the amount of vitamin D varies during the year
Some foods have vitamin D added to them. This includes some yoghurts, margarines and cereals.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that everyone diagnosed with melanoma has a blood test to measure their vitamin D levels. Your skin specialist can then tell you if you need to take a vitamin D supplement.
Ask your skin specialist or GP if you haven’t had your vitamin D level tested. Or if you don’t know the result.
