My name is Mel Cameron.
Health and fitness orientated.
Currently I am very aware of the effect of the sun on my skin and the requirements needed for adequate sun protection. I use very high protection sunscreen on all exposed areas of skin every day. I cover up with clothing, hats and sunglasses. I have done this for 16 years since I was 21 years old because my mum developed a skin cancer that was fortunately able to be removed successfully.
I realised I had her skin type and needed to be careful. As a result most of my skin is very youthful and healthy for my age as reflected when I had a UV camera used on my face to check for skin damage. In saying that, however, I noticed a few years ago that my arms and shoulders had some freckles and skin damage.
I researched and found out that clothing doesn't always protect against the sun, particularly the thin, lightweight shirts that I was wearing in summer, when the UV index is highest. I have since used appropriate clothing to cover up in everyday life.
Thank you Mel for helping raise awareness for skin cancer, melanoma and skin conditions, and sharing your story with us and our Solbari Community.
The Solbari Team
Many of us see the ultraviolet (UV) index on weather reports and read about UV alerts at particular times of the day. But do you know what it actually means and how it affects you?