Summertime in Western Australia often involves spending more time outdoors. It means long days at the beach, cricket in the park, and backyard barbecues.
With this increased time outdoors comes the increased risk of sunburn—and the chance of developing skin cancer.
However, with the right protection, it can be prevented. It’s all about staying SunSmart.
What is “SunSmart”?
The SunSmart campaign has been around since 1988, started as a way to help raise awareness of the dangers of UV rays.
With the extreme levels of UV we receive in Australia, the mantra of the 5 S’s—slip, slop, slap, seek, and slide—is drilled into us from primary school.
But what is UV?
UV rays are the ultraviolet radiation transmitted from the sun. We can’t see it, but we do feel its effects: it’s what damages our skin, and causes skin cancers to form.
Confusingly, it doesn’t necessarily relate to the sun’s heat. Even on a day when the temperature isn’t as high, the UV can still be dangerous.
This is why we have a UV Index. The UV Index was established as a globally-recognised standard for measuring the amount of UV radiation reaching the earth.
The best way to stay aware of the UV is to download an app like SunSmart Global UV. This tells you the current and projected UV for the day, based on your location, and the most dangerous times to be outside.
Why being SunSmart is crucial
Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with over 2 out of 3 Australians being diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.
With our long, sunny days, it’s no surprise. Repeated UV exposure damages your skin at a cellular level. This damage adds up over time—and it’s permanent. If your body can’t repair this damage, the cell can sometimes begin to divide and grow, which can eventually form a tumour.
The best way to reduce your chance of developing skin cancer is by using sun protection.
How to be SunSmart over the festive season
Here’s what you can do to stay SunSmart this summer.
Slip on sun-protective clothing
It’s recommended to wear protective, lightweight clothing to protect yourself whenever you’re out in the sun. Long sleeves are best, as they cover your arms too, and choose lightweight UPF fabrics to allow for breathability. When you’re in the pool or at the beach, a rashie is a good choice as well.
A rule of thumb is that if the material doesn’t let much light through, it won’t let much UV through.
Slop on some sunscreen
We can often receive skin damage without even realising it: those “quick” trips outside in the summer all add up.
Sunscreen is an easy way to help prevent skin damage. Simply apply it generously 20 minutes before going in the sun, then be sure to reapply every two hours, or after swimming or sweating. This reapplying is important: just having it on isn’t a free pass to stay in the sun for hours, as it stops being effective as time goes on.
Broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 50+ sunscreen is recommended. But at the end of the day, the best sunscreen is the one that you actually put on.
Slap on a hat
There’s a reason we were taught “No hat, no play” in primary school. Even with a full head of hair, you can still receive sunburn to your scalp.
So be sure to slap on a hat when you’re heading out in the sun. A wide-brimmed hat is best, one that protects your head, face, ears, and neck. Bucket hats and legionnaire-style hats are also good options.
Seek shade
While occasional shade doesn’t completely stop the sun’s UV, it can diminish its effect. So it’s advised to seek out shade during times when the UV is greater than 3—which, over summer, can often be around 9am.
If you’re hosting an outdoor event, it’s clever to set up an umbrella, a cabana, or use natural shade, which will also help to reduce the heat, too. But be warned that shade materials are still designed to let light through, which means they don’t block UV completely.
UV can reflect off surfaces though, like sand, water, or bricks, so it’s not an effective measure if only used by itself.
Slide on some sunglasses
Even with a hat and sunscreen, there’s one part of your body that can still get UV damage: your eyes.
Sunglasses work to limit the amount of UV hitting your eyes, and when coupled with a hat can block UV exposure to the eyes by up to 98%. The Cancer Council recommends close-fitting wraparound sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard AS/NSZ 1067.
Get your skin checked, too
Being sun smart is your first line of defence against deadly skin cancers, but it’s important to also get regular skin checks from your doctor or dermatologist. Outside of these times, perform a regular self-check—after all, you see your skin more, so you know best what’s normal and what’s not—and get any suspicious spots checked out by your GP immediately.
Stay safe outside this summer
We don’t want to scare you off from spending your summer outdoors. We just want you to be smart. So when you’re planning for an outdoor event, make the SunSmart choice, and keep skin protection in mind.
Then, when you’re ready for a skin check or want to get any unusual spots looked at, book in a skin check with your Brecken Health GP.