What to Look Out For & How to Protect Your Skin

As we welcome sunnier days, it’s the perfect time to talk about something incredibly important: your skin health.

Melanoma Monday (observed on the first Monday in May) is a reminder to check our skin, raise awareness of melanoma, and make daily sun protection part of our self-care routine.

Why Melanoma Awareness Matters

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that can develop when skin cells are damaged by UV radiation — often from sun exposure or tanning beds. While it can affect anyone, early detection makes a huge difference, which is why regular skin checks are so important.

The ABCDE Rule: What to Look For

Dermatologists use the ABCDE rule to help identify suspicious moles or marks on the skin. Here’s what to look for:

• A – Asymmetry: One half of the mole doesn’t match the other.
• B – Border: Irregular, blurred, or notched edges.
• C – Colour: Uneven colours or multiple shades.
• D – Diameter: Larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), though melanomas can be smaller.
• E – Evolving: Any change in size, shape, colour, or behaviour, such as itching or bleeding.

If anything looks unusual or changes over time, it’s best to seek advice from a medical professional.

Sun Protection Is for Everyone

There’s a common misconception that darker skin tones don’t need sun protection. This isn’t true — everyone, regardless of skin tone, should wear SPF daily. Melanoma can still affect people with darker skin, and often it’s caught later, making it more dangerous.

Top Sun Safety Tips

To help protect your skin all year round:

• Apply SPF 30 or higher every day — even when it’s cloudy. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

• Wear sunglasses with 100% UVA and UVB protection.
• Pop on a wide-brimmed hat to shade your face, neck and ears.
• Seek shade between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its strongest.
• Cover up with loose, long-sleeved clothing if you’re out in direct sun.

Avoid tanning beds, which significantly increase the risk of skin cancer.

Be Kind to Your Skin (and Yourself)

We know this can be a sensitive topic. If you or someone you care about has been affected by skin cancer, please know our hearts are with you. Sharing this information is our small way of supporting awareness and wellbeing — and encouraging everyone to take a few minutes for self-checks and daily protection.

Need help choosing a good SPF?

Ask us in the salon — we’re always happy to recommend products that fit your skin type and routine.

Take care of your skin — it takes care of you every day. 💛