Welcome to our premier issue!

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE CANADIAN DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION

Dr. Gordon Searles

The Canadian Dermatology Association is pleased to provide you with this magazine, designed to keep Canadians informed about sun safety.

Our publication coincides with the 25th annual Sun Awareness Week, held this year from June 3 to June 9. The goal of the week, and the aim of our National Sun Awareness Program, is to reduce the incidence of skin cancer in Canada. 

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Canada, with more than 74,000 new non-melanoma skin cancers found each year. More than 5,000 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in 2013, with more than 900 dying from it. The number of people with a skin cancer diagnosis has been rising since the 1960s, and now those born in the 1990s have a two to three times higher risk of skin cancer than those born 30 years earlier.

Luckily, both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer are highly preventable. Prevention begins by getting informed about the dangers of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, whether from the sun or tanning beds, and incorporating sun safety into your daily routine.

In the following pages you will find important advice on how to protect yourself from the sun and why you should do so. You’ll also find a list of sunscreens recognized by the Canadian Dermatology Association, information about what medications may make you more sensitive to the sun, tips on how to have great skin this summer and much more.

Be sure to visit our website at www.dermatology.ca for more information on healthy skin, including fact sheets on common skin issues and even colouring pages to help children learn about the importance of sun safety.

As president of the Canadian Dermatology Association, I would like to wish you a happy and safe summer.

Visit the host publication or see more related articles below: