Get A Skin Check

By Daniel Hutton on April 1, 2015 in News

With summer now a thing of the past and our collective golden tans slowly beginning to fade, there is no better time to book in for a quick skin cancer check-up to make sure that any suspicious looking spots are nothing more malicious.

Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. On average, 30 Australians will be diagnosed with melanoma every day and more than 1,200 will die from the disease each year.

While primary prevention methods such as wearing sun cream, covering up and staying out of the sun in the hottest parts of the day are all paramount in the fight against melanoma, secondary prevention methods, namely getting a skin check, can still save your life.

One Eastern Suburbs resident who is doing more than his fair share to promote melanoma awareness is Bondi’s Scott Maggs, a.k.a. Jimmy Niggles. Niggles lost his close mate Wes Bonny to melanoma five years ago and he has since dedicated a large part of his life to helping prevent the deadly disease.

Through his charity Beard Season, Niggles has amassed a following of over 50,000 Instagram users, and while splendid facial hair is the focus of most of the imagery, the clear message is to get a skin check.

The good news is that that message is being heard and people are acting upon it. Niggles regularly receives correspondence from followers who have stopped potentially deadly melanomas in their tracks. For others given the all clear, it’s hard to put a price on the peace of mind they receive.

Niggles has recently returned from the UK where he was launching an exhibition called ‘Beard’, a collaboration with British photographer Brock Elbank featuring 60 of the world’s best beards, designed to raise further awareness about melanoma prevention.

If you’re looking for a reputable skin cancer clinic in the Eastern Suburbs, try Bondi Skin Cancer Clinic on Ebley Street in Bondi Junction (call 9387 1171) or Coogee Skin Cancer Clinic on Malabar Road in South Coogee (call 8999 7480).