Sun Sense

The Cancer Council has revived its message to Australians to take extra care in the sun and do five simple things to prevent skin cancer. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Every year in Australia skin cancers account for around 80 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers. Around 2,000 people die from this disease every year. More than 95 percent of skin cancer cases are caused by unprotected exposure to UV radiation from the sun, meaning it is a nearly entirely preventable cancer. Many Australians will remember the ‘Sid the Seagull’ campaign from the 1980s which launched the ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ message. Some things have changed since then but our sun is still the same.

In Australia, data shows that people aged 25 to 44 (43 percent of the population) are the most likely to get sunburnt outside at peak times and are the group least likely to use shade when it’s available. They are also the least concerned about skin cancer as an important issue in their community. A lot of those Australians who first heard Sid’s message now have kids of their own. By using sun protection and preventing sunburn and skin damage you are reducing your risk of skin cancer – including potentially deadly melanoma. Sun protection is recommended whenever UV levels reach 3 or higher. A combination of the five measures, along with getting to know your skin and regularly checking for any changes, are key. Cancer Council recommends sunscreen should be incorporated into your daily morning routine on these days. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before exposure to UV in order to create the intended protective barrier. It should be applied liberally and evenly to clean and dry skin. For an adult, the recommended application is 5mL (approximately one teaspoon) for each arm, leg, body front, body back and face (including neck and ears). That equates to a total of 35mL (approximately seven teaspoons) for a full body application. When spending time outdoors, sunscreen should always be reapplied at least every two hours, irrespective of the water resistance of the sunscreen. Swimming, sport, sweating and towel drying can reduce the effectiveness of the product, so sunscreen should always be reapplied after these activities.

While effective when used the right way, it is difficult to correctly apply aerosol sunscreen to get adequate protection. For this reason, Cancer Council does not recommend using aerosol sunscreens. Sunscreen isn’t a suit of armour. It should be used alongside protective clothing, a broad-brim hat, shade and sunglasses.

1. SLIP on sun-protective clothing. 2. SLOP on SPF30 (or higher) broadspectrum, water-resistant sunscreen at least 20 minutes before you go outdoors and reapply every two hours afterwards. 3. SLAP on a broad-brim hat to protect your face, head, neck and ears. 4. SEEK shade. 5. SLIDE on sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian standards.