Sun Safety

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Each year almost 2000 Australians die from this almost entirely preventable disease.

The Slip, Slop, Slap slogan has become institutionalised as the core message of Cancer Council's SunSmart program. The campaign is widely credited as playing a key role in the dramatic shift in sun protection attitudes and behaviour over the past two decades. In 2007, the slogan was updated to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide to reflect the importance of seeking shade and sliding on wraparound sunglasses to prevent sun damage.

Take a closer look at the five SunSmart steps:

      1. Slip on sun protective clothing

Choose clothing that covers as much skin as possible (think shirts with long sleeves). Some clothing may carry an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), which is a guarantee of how much UV protection a fabric provides.

      2. Slop on SPF 30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen

Apply sunscreen to clean, dry skin at least 20 minutes before you go outside. You will need around seven teaspoons of sunscreen for your whole body. One teaspoon for your head and neck, one for each limb, one for the front of your body and one for the back of your body.

Always make sure to re-reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially after swimming, towel drying or if you work (or work out) outdoors and are likely to be sweating. And remember, sunscreen is your last line of defence, and should always be used in combination with the other measures.

      3. Slap on a broad-brimmed hat

Choose, a broad-brimmed, legionnaire or bucket style hat which shades your face, nose, neck and ears, which are common sites for skin cancers. Caps and visors do not provide enough protection.

     4. Seek shade

Use trees, built shade structures, or bring your own gazebo or umbrella with a high UPF designed to offer sun protection. Shade reduces UV radiation, but it can still reach you via reflection – especially around water - so make sure you use shade in combination with other sun protection measures.

     5. Slide on some sunglasses

Sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat worn together can reduce UV radiation exposure to the eyes by up to 98%. Choose close-fitting wraparound sunglasses, that meet Australian Standards.

Courtesy of: cancer.org.au