Doctor warns skin cancer trigger must 'look different in people’

The DermDoctor online, has issued a stark warning for people who think they're protecting themselves against skin cancer

A skin doctor has issued a stark warning, as it turns out many of us might be getting it wrong when it comes to warding off skin cancer. Dr Muneeb Shah, who's become better known online as DermDoctor, has amassed a huge following for his skincare savvy and insights.

Chatting with another digital doc sensation, Dr Karan Rajan, he made a staggering revelation noting that despite the best of intentions, many people are bungling their skin cancer protection efforts. He pointed out a concerning rise in cases, revealing: "Half of my patients are skin cancer patients, actually."

Dr Karan spoke about the surge of "skin influencers" on the web, who often flip-flop between health advice extremes – from pushing sunbeds for a 'healthy' glow to obsessively slathering on sunscreen every couple of hours. Cutting through the confusion, Dr Muneeb laid out the truth: your skin cancer prevention routine needs to be as individual as you are. He clarified: "Sun protection in general, that can look different in many different people."

On the Dr Karan Explores podcast, he reassured listeners that they don't need to be obsessed with reapplying sunscreen constantly. He advised: "I tell people wear sunscreen at least once in the morning. And if you're able to reapply it if you're in the sun, then that's definitely a good thing to do."

The dermatologist shared some sage advice on skincare, saying: "I think that if you're just being thoughtful and protective of your skin, you don't have to be setting your clock to every two hours. You know, though there are some skin influencers that would suggest that you have to."

In addition, the expert underlined the importance of "sun protective clothing" and avoiding sunburns as a way to decrease the risk of skin cancer. Targeting advice towards guardians, the dermatologist emphasised the early start of skin protection: "This starts at a very young age, which means that the parents need to be involved in this process as well. Because sun we know that sunburns and sun exposure as a child can also affect your risk of developing skin cancer later on."