In 2018, according to the WHO, the rate of skin cancer in Chile has increased from 20 to 25 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, ranking as the third most common type of cancer, according to the survey of the last 5 years.
The same research revealed that one in 10 Chileans will have some type of skin cancer during their lifetime, whether basal cellular, epidermoid and/or melanoma.
As for the regions of our country with the most deaths from this disease, a study conducted by the National Cancer Corporation (Conac), revealed that those with the highest number of deaths were Antofagasta, Valparaíso and Santiago.
From Care Assistance indicate that, despite the alarming situation, the current reality is that, in general, there is no care of this type that is done on a regular basis.
Dr. Deliana Urbaneja maintains that “many patients even comment that they use sunscreen and take care of themselves only in hot months, in circumstances that they should do so 365 days a year.”
The professional explains that it is very important to maintain good hydration and use sun protection, in addition to umbrellas or hats and sunglasses. He adds that “there are special clothes that filter UV rays and that in case of maintaining work with long exposure to the sun, its use is recommended. Those who want to use it, even if they have little direct exposure, can also do so.”
What sun protection factor to use?
Sunscreen should be used every day and its application should be repeated every 2 to 3 hours. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) depends on the patient’s skin phototype, being the recommended use scheme:
Phototypes 1 and 2 (very light skin): SPF 50.
Phototypes 3 and 4 (brown skin): SPF 50-30.
Phototypes 5 and 6 (dark to very dark skin): SPF 30-15.
In Care Assistance they state that, hand in hand with corporate wellbeing, a trend that aims for companies to take care of their employees integrally, it is important to raise awareness among work teams about the care of their skin.
A good idea, which some companies put into practice, is to have sunscreens for community use in their facilities, to encourage the habit of using it frequently.
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