Have you ever spent time in the sun? Have you ever been sunburnt? Have there been stages in your life when you spent a lot of time outdoors?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then your skin is at risk of sun damage. Sun damage occurs when your skin is over-exposed to the sun. In Australia, sun damage is very common and presents itself through a variety of different symptoms. Sun damage may appear as a cosmetic blemish or it could present as a much more serious condition, like skin cancer. Sometimes you can't even see sun damage at all, until it's too late.

The more sun exposure you have had over the course of your life, the more likely it is you will have sun damaged skin. However, it is important to understand that sun damage may not be visible on your skin until many years after the initial damage occurred. As a result, it is important that you get to know your own skin so you can learn to identify possible areas of sun damage and bring them to the attention of your doctor as early as possible.

When was the last time you checked your own skin?

The Know Your Own Skin App will teach you how to check your own skin for signs of possible sun damage and track any changes that may occur over time via an interactive photo bank and reminder service. The App also contains lots of useful information, advice and tools that will help you get to know your own skin, check it regularly and take better care of it.

Know Your Own Skin is an educational initiative created for the Australian public by leading Australian healthcare professionals, all of whom have a genuine interest in the health of your skin.