When we think of ‘insurance’, we usually think of our car, our house, or our things. We very rarely think of insurance in relation to people, and at Money Empire, we champion people to protect their most important asset: themselves! When we think of skin care and insurance, we relate it back to vanity, ‘girly skincare routines’ (as referenced by pop culture), or getting a mole removed.
Our skin is the largest organ on our body that soaks up just about everything we throw at it – including the sun. Not to rain on the summer parade, but New Zealand has an incredibly high melanoma rate, so when we’re talking skin care and insurance, we mean those ‘girly skincare routines’ are on to something. According to BPAC.org, “New Zealand has one of the highest age-standardised incidence rates of melanoma in the world, occurring in approximately 35 to 40 people per 100,000 population, each year.”
Summer is tantalisingly close, with already a few of us experiencing a sunburn. New Zealand’s very close proximity to the hole in the ozone layer makes us more susceptible to this cancer.
What’s your skin risk?
It’s no secret by now that people with fair skin and lighter hair and eyes will be most at risk of sun damage, however under New Zealand’s gaping hole in the ozone, anyone can be susceptible to skin cancer and should be aware of their skin.
Knowing your skin type will be a major factor in your risk for melanoma or skin cancers. Skincancer.org has created a really good and easy to understand quiz for people to take to know more. When you’re equipped with more knowledge, you can make really great educated responses to protect you and your family.
There are six skin types, ranging from the very fair we mentioned earlier (type 1) to very dark (type 6), which will help you classify your skin type based on your skin’s reaction to sun exposure.
Get your skin checked.
Changes can occur in any area of your skin, and this is more than those fine lines on your forehead. Have you noticed your skin getting more red as the years go on? It’s likely sun damage. Or have you noticed some moles getting a little bigger or darker? Maybe it’s time to get a mole map professionally, or to do a thorough look over yourself!
What to look for when doing a skin check.
Stay one step ahead of your skin care (and insurance) and use the ABCDE guidelines as provided by the HPA. If you have any of the below… Maybe it’s time to get the spots checked out.
- A = asymmetry. Check that two halves of the mole or spot are the same or similar, if it’s different then it’s time to get a professional to look at it.
- B = border. What are the edges of the spot like? Are the edges poorly defined, or have ragged, blurred, or an irregular shape?
- C = colour. Look for unevenness in colour, with shades of black, brown, or tan. Also look out for melanoma spots, as they could be white, grey, red, pink, or even blue.
- D = different. Is it different from the rest of the spots on your body, or is there a noticeable change?
- E = evolving. Is this a new mole or skin spot, or is it changing, becoming bigger, or painful?
If you see something unusual on your body, there’s no need to panic. That’s what the experts are for! Go get it checked out for peace of mind.
Wear your sunscreen.
Quite a few folks in the office are obsessed with skincare – in the best way. Every single dermatologist and skincare fan states very, very clearly to wear sunscreen. Not only does sunscreen protect your skin, but it can also prevent the signs of ageing.
If you wear make up, and your makeup has SPF in it, you might think that this will do the trick. While it offers some protection against New Zealand’s harsh UV rays, it won’t do as much as a specific sunscreen product for your face. Even on cloudy days or in winter, it’s recommended you wear a minimum of SPF30 as you are still at risk of sun damage.
Slip, slop, slap, wrap.
You will notice a significant difference in your skin over the summer if you slip, slop, slap, and wrap. Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat, and wrap on some sunnies.
Skin care and insurance.
When it comes to skin care, we recommend investing in your skin as if you would invest in property – including buying your first home. Building a foundation for the future comes with making small steps to achieve your end goals – including being skin and sun smart. Most insurance companies and providers will cover services they deem necessary – such as mole mapping or spot removal.
If you are keen to learn more about insurance, please get in touch with one of our excellent team, we’re here to help. If you want to know more about your skin type, please reach out to your GP or doctor, or a dermatologist.
