Skin Cancer Prevention

To reduce your risk of skin cancer and damage to your eyes, The Cancer Council Australia recommends all of the following sun protection measures:

Take particular care to protect yourself from sun in the middle of the day

Between 10am and 3pm the sun’s UV radiation is at its strongest. During this time, about 60% of the day’s radiation occurs, so you will burn and damage your skin very quickly. Whenever possible, plan outdoor activities before 10am or after 3pm – even on cool or cloudy days.

Slap on a hat

Choose a broad brimmed, bucket or legionnaire style hat (with back flap) to provide maximum coverage for your face and neck. Baseball caps defeat the purpose by exposing the back of your neck and ears, prime spots for skin cancers to develop.

Slip on a shirt - wear clothing to cover exposed skin

A long sleeved shirt with a collar and long shorts or skirt. Hold the fabric up against the light – the closer the weave, the better the protection. Darker colours are best. When choosing UV protective clothing, check that it meets the Australian Standard 4399 and has a high Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating (UPF 50+ is the highest).The UPF rating shows how well a fabric protects your skin from solar UV. Clothing designed to be UV protective should have an official UPF label issued by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

Slop on sunscreen

Use a broad spectrum, SPF30+ sunscreen to protect skin that cannot be protected by clothing. Regardless of the SPF, no sunscreen can completely shield you from the effects of UV radiation and you can still get sunburnt or damage your skin. Sunscreens need to be applied liberally to achieve the SPF protection claimed on the label. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside and reapply it every two hours or after exercise, swimming or towel drying. Don’t rely on sunscreen to extend the amount of time you spend in the sun.

Wear close-fitting sunglasses to protect against eye damage

Exposure to UV radiation is associated with both skin cancers on the eyelids and around the eyes, and damage and degenerative changes on the eye surface. Wearing sunglasses which meet the Australian Standard 1067 and a broad brimmed hat can reduce the amount of UV radiation exposure to your eyes by up to 98%. Sunglasses that have an Eye Protection Factor (EPF) rating of 10 provide the greatest protection.

Stay in the shade whenever possible

Shade is the cheapest and most effective form of sun protection. It can be portable, natural or permanent – you can use trees, canopies, umbrellas or beach shelters. Remember though that UV radiation can be reflected so don’t forget the rest of the sun protection routine.