WOMEN and men across social media are being urged to share selfies with lipstick smeared on their face as part of a cervical cancer awareness campaign.

In York, NHS staff working for Yorclinic and York Hospital have been getting in on the act by sharing their lipstick selfies on Facebook and Twitter to highlight the importance of smear tests.

Smear tests save more than 5,000 lives a year, yet one in five women who are invited to take the test don’t.

In women aged 25 to 29, this figure rises to one in three.

Dr Frances Baker, clinical lead for CaSH at Yorclinic in Monkgate Health Centre, said: “Cervical cancer is the most common cancer found in women under 35. It’s so important for them to attend their smear test in order to detect any abnormalities early on, and to prevent the possibility of cancer developing.

“Eight women in the UK are diagnosed every day and we are hoping that by promoting the #SmearForSmear campaign this will encourage women in North Yorkshire to attend their smear test when they receive their invitation.”

To get involved with the campaign and raise awareness of the importance of attending a cervical screening test, you can share your lipstick selfie on social media with the hashtag “#SmearForSmear” and nominate your friends to do the same. You can also book your appointment to have a smear test at Yorclinic or your local GP.