Editor's note

We spend billions of dollars every year in the pursuit of flawless, younger, smoother skin – so much so we forget skin is our largest bodily organ, and that it performs many important functions.

This week we examined skin’s purpose (aside from holding everything in), what can go wrong, and how best to care for our skin. And in a series highlight, Terry Slevin busted some myths around why Aussies have so much skin cancer.

Alexandra Hansen

Section Editor: Health + Medicine

Skin: our largest organ

White people are not made for Australia’s weather conditions. from www.shutterstock.com

Why does Australia have so much skin cancer? (Hint: it's not because of an ozone hole)

Terry Slevin, Cancer Council Australia; David Whiteman, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Most Aussies think we have such high rates of skin cancer due to an 'ozone hole'. But that's not the case. Here's why we have nearly a million cases of skin cancer per year.

It doesn’t just hold everything in. Unsplash/Lucaxx Freire

The skin is a very important (and our largest) organ: what does it do?

Cara McDonald, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne

We spend a lot of time thinking about our skin - from worrying about its health to trying to get it to look its best. But there's much more to skin than what it looks like.

Skin is seen as a marker of health, and thus beauty. Noah Buscher/Unsplash

Beauty is skin-deep: why our complexion is so important to us

Rodney Sinclair, University of Melbourne

Despite skin conditions such as acne having no negative health effects, they can take a huge toll on the confidence and mental health of the person.

Reductions in collagen and elastin as we age are mostly to blame for our laugh lines. todd cravens/unsplash

Wrinkles, liver spots, crows' feet: what happens to our skin as we age?

Michelle Rodrigues, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne

There's not much we can do about the reduction in collagen and fat that cause lines and circles under our eyes as we age. But sunscreen and a healthy lifestyle can help keep the signs of ageing at bay.

What’s that rash? Here’s what to look for to diagnose a common skin complaint. from www.shutterstock.com

Common skin rashes and what to do about them

H. Peter Soyer, The University of Queensland; Katie Lee, The University of Queensland

Here's a list of the most common rashes and what you need to look for.

Some serious skin conditions are more likely to affect those with weaker immune systems. from www.shutterstock.com

Four of the most life-threatening skin conditions and what you should know about them

William Cranwell, Melbourne Health

Deadly skin conditions are rare, but can be misdiagnosed.

From our archives

Is makeup bad for your skin?

Cara McDonald, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne

Many of us cover our faces with foundation and other beauty products every day. Here's what we know about whether they are doing us damage.

Do we have to clean out our pores?

Michael Freeman

Many of us would have seen, if not tried, various products claiming to clean the dirt out of our pores. But do we need to?

 

Featured jobs

Clinical Coordinator (Audiology)

La Trobe University —

Development Officer

University of Melbourne —

Research Fellow

Macquarie University — Macquarie Park, New South Wales

Research Assistant (Blockchain Innovation Hub)

RMIT University — Melbourne, Victoria

More Jobs

Featured events

What's become of truth? with Michael Sandel

Carriageworks, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia — UNSW

World without mind with Franklin Foer

Carriageworks, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia — UNSW

How to achieve... a talented country

Singapore Theatre, Melbourne School of Design Building Masson Road Parkville Campus, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia — University of Melbourne

Sydney Ideas: Inverse problems and Harry Potter's invisibility cloak

New Law School LT 104, Sydney Law School, Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia — University of Sydney

More events
 

Contact us here to list your job, or here to list your event.

For sponsorship opportunities, email us here