Anyone spending even a few minutes outside needs to take precautions to avoid sunburn, health promotion department head Charmaine Gauci said this morning, launching the annual Euro-Melanoma Skin Cancer Campaign.

“People need to start thinking outside the box when it comes to protecting themselves against the sun. We need to move away from the belief that one only gets sunburn at the beach,” Dr Gauci said.

This year’s campaign, announced ahead of Melanoma Day on May 9, will be focusing on two main aspects: prevention and early detection.

Dr Gauci said that while avoiding being out of the sun between 11am and 4pm was the ideal scenario, not everyone was able to avoid being out and about during those hours.

Prevention through the use of sun creams and the proper clothing was therefore very important, Dr Gauci said, adding that creams needed to be applied thoroughly every two hours and any hats used must cover the neck and ears.

This year’s campaign will also serve to highlight the importance of early detection. Any irregular moles should be checked out immediately, especially if these change in shape or colour over time.

Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer and is linked to sun exposure and is the number one cause of skin disease-related cause of death worldwide.

As part of the campaign, skin cancer screening will be offered at the Department of Dermatology at Boffa Hospital on May 9. Screening is by appointment only. More information on 22987105.