IF the past couple of weeks are to be any indicator, this summer is going to be a hot one and as the warmer weather comes, many Australians take to enjoying outdoor activities and while these can be healthy, the risk of sunburn is always present.
Despite wide publicity campaigns, many Australians still get sunburnt, often without realising the dangers this presents.
The Cancer Council highlights that exposure to ultra-violet radiation from the sun or solariums is responsible for about 95 percent of skin cancers, the most dangerous of which is melanoma.
Last year it was expected that there would be more than 15,000 diagnoses of melanoma of the skin – close to one diagnosis every half hour, according to the Melanoma Institute Australia.
Melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australian men,
The institute predicted there would be 1,726 deaths from melanoma of the skin last year, that is one Australian every five hours, twice the number that have died from COVID-19.
Protection against the sun is critical and the SunSmart campaign aims to impress on everyone how important it is to take protective measures when going outdoors.
The Cancer Council recommendations for the best protection should be followed. These included:
Slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much of our skin as possible. Slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30+ sunscreen 20 minutes before we go outdoors and then every two hours afterwards. Slap on a hat that protects the face, head, neck and ears Seek shade Slide on sunglasses that meet Australian Standards
If you have a problem spot it pays to have it checked out. The sooner a skin cancer is identified and treated, the better. Becoming familiar with the look of your skin, so that any changes that might suggest a skin cancer are recognised is an important step.
