A woman bathes on the large beach of Saint-Lunaire, in Ille-et-Vilaine. - C. Allain / 20 Minutes

  • A Breton dermatologist is sounding the alarm about the high number of melanoma cases in the region.
  • It is a skin cancer often caused by exposure to the sun.
  • Brittany is particularly affected by this type of cancer because the sun beats less strongly there than elsewhere, where less protection of the population.

With its capricious and unstable sky and its sometimes chilly temperatures, Brittany will never be "the place to be" for lovers of sunbathing in summer. Its sunshine, often a source of mockery, worries health professionals, however. Because with 1,305 cases and 64 deaths on average each year, Brittany is the French region most affected by melanoma, a particularly tough skin cancer often caused by exposure to the sun.

Doctor Marc Perrussel is worried about the high number of melanoma cases in Brittany. - J. Gicquel / 20 Minutes

A rather paradoxical situation which is partly explained by the mild Breton climate. "If we are in Cannes, the sun will sting and we will immediately protect ourselves. But this is not the case in Brittany, ”explains Doctor Marc Perrussel. The sometimes cloudy sky or the light sea breeze are indeed misleading in the region. "People are not going to have this feeling of heat," says the dermatologist and oncologist. They will therefore increase their exposure time and forget to protect themselves ”. A big mistake according to the health professional, based in Morbihan, "because UV rays are as intense in Brittany as in the South".

Clearer skin and therefore more sensitive to the sun

Without protection, Bretons and Breton women will therefore be more exposed to the risk of melanoma. And this risk will be further increased by their very skin type, often clear skin and therefore more sensitive to the sun. As the summer holidays begin, Doctor Marc Perrussel therefore sounds the alarm to warn of the dangers of "this sun which is pleasant but dangerous, and kills in Brittany".

Even if the sky is cloudy and the temperatures are not scorching, he advises to spread with sunscreen index 50 every two hours or so and avoid exposure between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. It also warns parents about the risks of sun exposure for children. "Three sunburns caught during childhood increase the risk of melanoma in adulthood by 30%", insists Marc Perrussel, inviting the population "to consume the Breton sun in moderation".

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An annual screening reimbursed

As a partner in this prevention operation, the Primary Health Insurance Fund indicates that it has been possible since 2012 to consult a dermatologist for screening for melanoma without going through the attending physician. This is a consultation which the insured can use once a year and which is reimbursed under the usual conditions.

  • Reindeer
  • Cancer
  • Skin cancer
  • Sun
  • Health