Chronic vs intermediate sun exposure

Chronic sun exposure

In Australia, melanoma often affects people who are sun damaged. This type of melanoma:

• Tends to affect older individuals.
• Is more common in men.
• Often occurs on the head and neck.
• May result in several melanomas.
• Usually occurs in people who have been exposed to the sun over a long period of time. These are often people that work outdoors, such as builders, farmers and gardeners.
• Is often a clinical type called lentigo maligna melanoma.
• Tends to be slow-growing and thin at diagnosis.

Intermediate sun exposure

Melanoma can also affect people who actually don't spend a lot of time outdoors. This type of melanoma is associated with earlier sunburn, and:

• Tends to affect younger adults.
• Is more common in women.
• Often affects fair-skinned people who have lots of moles.
• Most often occurs on the trunk of males and on the legs of females.
• Usually occurs in people who have been exposed to lots of sun occasionally, for example during sunny holidays spent sun-bathing or sailing.
• Is often a clinical type called superficial spreading melanoma.
• Can affect several members of one family, who have a genetic tendency to large and odd-looking (atypical) moles as well as melanoma.

Source: dermnetnz.org