Sun, Ski and Skin is Not a Good Combination

Skiing is a fantastic sport and good for general fitness, but a lot of people forget the effect that the winter sun can have on their skin. When you’re up a mountain, at altitude, your level of UV exposure is higher than at ground level, so you’re soaking up the radiation.

Add to that the geography and the sun can be incredibly intense. Normally features such as grass and trees absorb the UV, but when those features are covered in snow not only are they not absorbing the UV, the snow cover itself is bouncing the UV back at you.

Skin cancer is the commonest form of cancer in the UK, with 75,000 cases reported each year and rates on the rise, coupled , with the main risk factor for skin cancer being an increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation. There are three main types of skin cancer, melanoma (the most serious, malignant type), squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. In all three, early detection is essential.

If you’re going skiing this winter you need to consider sun protection as essential as warm clothing and the correct equipment.

Treat the slopes like a beach

Anyone skiing should treat the slopes like a beach and apply just as much, if not more sun protection to any exposed skin than they would when stretching out on a sun-lounger. Sun cream for skiing should be the highest factor tolerated, with a minimum SPF of 30, and should be broad spectrum to protect against both UVA& UVB, and should be reapplied every 2 hours.

Sun-blocks which contain a higher percentage of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide should be considered as they give excellent, long-lasting protection, even though they are cosmetically inferior; a practical approach would be to use these products for just the lips and nose. Finally do not forget to protect children. Sunglasses or goggles with UV filters will give additional protection to the eyes and eyelids.

Remember the ABCD check

If you have had sun exposure, especially if you have burned, you should be on the lookout for any new or unusual moles, blemishes and getting them checked as soon as you get home. There are a few key things to look for if you think a mole may be suspicious: a mole that becomes Asymmetrical (A), the edge or Border changes (B), it develops more than one Colour (C) or the Diameter enlarges to more than 6mm (D).

If you find a mole with any of these ABCD traits, get it checked as soon as possible on your return home. Additionally any areas of broken skin that won’t heal should also be checked, as this may also be a sign of skin cancer. The Cadogan Clinic is the only clinic in the UK able to offer same-day skin cancer testing; elsewhere you’re likely to be waiting up to a week for results, giving you several days of worry and stress when you could already be undergoing treatment.

Treatment for skin cancer is complex and depends on a number of factors including the type of cancer, the site affected and the potential of the tumour to spread. Treatments can include topical creams for less aggressive cancers; cryotherapy, the freezing of a tumour; surgical excision; photodynamic therapy using special creams and bright light. The vast majority of skin cancers can be treated successfully but the earlier the mole can be diagnosed and treatment started, the higher the chance of success.

Dr. Jonathan Bowling

Jonathan Bowling is Consultant Dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic.

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