When we made a check-up visit to the dermatologist yesterday Malc was surprised at the number of Keratoses actiniques the doctor was obliged to remove from his face and neck. These are small lesions caused by exposure to sunlight which have a 10% chance of becoming melanoma skin cancer. In this case none were deemed to pose a risk, but some readers will know only too well how devastating those effects can be. And, of course, doctors warn us north Europeans that our fair skin is more at risk from over-exposure to strong sunlight.
Malc was warned that his ears were "vraiment abimés", and that he should either wear a wide brimmed hat or grow his hair longer. Naturally those of us with skin tones which tan easily are a bit more blasé, but as we get older our skin becomes more fragile.
Malc usually wears a baseball style cap, but now he will be searching for a wider brim - and applying the sun cream more carefully (and not growing his hair).
The 45 euro visit (presumably covered by the Sante) was a timely warning, so if you have any skin worries ask your doctor for a referral (down side is it can take 4-6 months for an appointment).
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