This is October, with the “octo” part relating to eight, like ‘octagon’ the eight sided shape. However, October is actually the tenth month of the year in our calendars. How come? Reason for this is because January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. Nothing is cast in stone. Not even the calendar.
This month I would like to draw your attention on how to keep your pink one-button in good condition. Having come from Queensland, I can tell you that Queensland is considered the melanoma capital of the world, and of all the skin cancers you can get, malignant melanoma is the worst. If ignored and not caught early, it spreads throughout the body and almost all of these sufferers die within 12 months. That is despite heroic (and expensive) treatment.
When we first began to keep statistics on the incidence of melanoma in Australia, it became quickly evident that the further north you went (towards the equator) the greater the numbers of melanomas. White skin and UV radiation did not go well together.
It did not need rocket science to see that perhaps the reason the indigenous native aboriginals did not have the same incidence of melanoma as the white settlers was linked to skin color.
However, human nature being as perverse as it is, the white folks want to be brown (which is why solariums are popular in Australia) and the brown folks want to be white (which is why whitening creams are the number one cosmetic cream sold in Thailand).
However, the Thai people, even with their naturally protective brown skin, do stay out of the sun as much as possible, (standing in a line in the shadow of the telephone pole), and have reduced their incidence of possible melanoma. While we farangs, with our totally unsuitable pink one-button birthday suits, stand in the sun’s rays as much as possible.
The bad news about malignant melanoma you have already read above, but there is some good news. Catch it early enough, before it begins to spread, and you can escape.
If you have any dark colored ‘spot’ that has changed shape, color, or become itchy you should get some expert advice from a specialist dermatologist. It is too dangerous to ‘wait and see’.
We have several skin specialists in the Dermatology and Beauty Center. You can make an appointment by phoning 1719, which has English speaking operators to take your call.
