Vita Liberata launches sun care campaign

Organic sunless tan brand Vita Liberata has launched its global sun safety and skin cancer awareness campaign, #BodyCareChecks.

As well as sharing guidance with the Vita Liberata community and all of its professional spray tanning partners, the #BodyCareChecks campaign will see Vita Liberata make a donation to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Commenting on the #BodyCareChecks campaign, Mark Whysall, Vice President Sales EMEA APAC for Vita Liberata, says: 

“Skin cancer is the world's most common cancer, affecting 5 million people every single year, more than breast, prostate, colon and lung cancer combined. It is also highly curable if it is caught and treated early enough. The work of the Skin Cancer Foundation is so important in helping to prevent and improve treatment of skin cancer. It is our hope that through the #BodyCareChecks campaign we can raise awareness for the importance of self-checking your skin as well as revisit the golden rules of sun exposure: protect your skin, always.”

The campaign has been created alongside Consultant Dermatologist Dr Alia Ahmed. She says:

 “Being able to catch and treat skin cancer early is just as important as sun protection. By incorporating regular body care checks into their skin care routine, people are more likely to notice changes earlier and can get the potentially life-saving treatment they need sooner.”

She continues:

“People who self-examine their skin are twice as likely to detect melanoma, however only 9-18% of the population perform regular thorough skin examination. The #BodyCareChecks campaign is unique in encouraging individuals to familiarise themselves with their skin and look out for changing moles and marks during their normal skin care routine. Practising this regular self-examination can help the early detection of harmful skin cancers, like melanoma, and save lives.”

Vita Liberata's #BodyCareChecks core principles include:

Know Your Moles & Marks: The #BodyCareChecks campaign wants to encourage consumers to put the ‘care' into ‘body care' and the next time they apply moisturiser, SPF or self-tan, to really look at moles and marks and to make that a part of their ongoing body care regime. Taking photos of marks is a good way to document them so that any changes can be spotted early and can be checked out by a GP or dermatologist.

Three things to look for:

  • New marks or growths which don't look right. If they don't go away within a few weeks or start to grow, book an appointment with your GP or a dermatologist.
  • Changing growths which have increased in size or thickness, or changed colour, shape or texture
  • Unusual marks or spots which look different from the others – being particularly dark, light or irregular in colour, or bleeding, itching, crusting or hurting and not healing.
Always Wear and Regularly Reapply Broad Spectrum SPF of at least factor 30. This is important even if you are at home in your back garden, so ensure you have a supply of SPF ready for when you need it, despite the current restrictions in international travel.

Limit Your Sun Exposure, especially when it is at its hottest during the middle of the day. Take advantage of shady spots and put on a sun hat, sunglasses and a t-shirt, still remembering to wear SPF even if you think you are in the clear. Your skin's health is more important than any suntan.

If you do want to tan, get your glow safely. Consider sunless tanning options rather than sweating it out under harmful UV-rays in the sun for hours at a time or, worse still, using a tanning bed. You don't need to sacrifice your skin's health in pursuit of a golden glow.