This Bank Holiday weekend marks the end of Melanoma Awareness month: during which we have worked with British Cycling to highlight the importance of protecting our skin and understanding the signs and symptoms of skin cancer. 

Our mission is to protect every outdoor athlete from the sun and so at the very core of our business is an absolute passion for training, racing and recovering outdoors, but exposure to the sun is unavoidable. We work closely with athletes of all levels to ensure unprotected sun exposure does not damage performance, recovery and enjoyment but it is vital to recognise the longer-term risks posed by melanoma and other types of skin cancer. We passionately believe that it is important to adopt a proper sun care routine in order to avoid skin damage that can cause serious health problems in the future.

Now more than ever it’s important to encourage more people to get into the habit and do regular monthly skin self-examinations. The ABCDE Rule below can be used to help spot early signs of melanoma skin cancer. If you see two or more warning signs, consult a doctor without delay. It may be nothing, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

• Asymmetry – Is the spot asymmetric?
• Border – Does it have an uneven border?
• Colour – Does it contain different colours?
• Diameter – Is it larger than 5mm in diameter?
• Evolve – Is there an evolution in growth?